US. Department of Homeland Security 500 12th Street SW. Washington, DC 20536 ART . . "i a, U.S.Imm1gratlon ,3 and Customs 1r Enforcement (4140 5 August 22, 2014 RE: Preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Frio County, Dilley, Texas Honorable Carlos A. Garcia Judge 500 E. San Antonio St., Box 7 Pearsall, TX 78061 (830) 334-2154 Dear Mr. Garcia, United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the second largest investigative agency in the Federal Government. primary mission is to promote homeland security and public safety through criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration. ICE determines the legal immigration status of individuals believed to be illegally present in the interior of the United States through the immigration courts and removes those who are determined to either be inadmissible or in violation with US. law. The Justice Department?s Executive Office for Immigration Review conducts the immigration proceedings for both unaccompanied alien children and family units, in accordance with the requirements of Section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Unaccompanied alien children are in the custody of a sponsor until disposition of their cases, and family units stay together in Family Residential Centers until disposition of their cases. The full range of facility, services, and case management requirements for the ICE mission of enforcement and removal includes, but is not limited to, the following: providing office space, bed space, courtrooms, space for services such as medical exams, recreation, and religious services, attorney?client meetings, processing space, and transportation. The June 2, 2014 Presidential Memorandum ?Response to the In?ux of Unaccompanied Alien Children Across the Southwest Border? described the in?ux as an ?urgent humanitarian situation requiring a unified and coordinated Federal response.? The unprecedented increase in the number of apprehended persons has the potential to fill or exceed the capacity of the DHS supporting infrastructure (real property for processing and housing apprehended persons, services including medical care, transportation, utilities, meals, hygiene, recreation, etc.) currently available. Therefore, action is being considered at the DHS Headquarters level to provide increased and expedited allocation of Departmental resources in a number of areas, including the construction of facilities for ICE to provide safe and adequate housing for families. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 US. Code 4321? 4347), this letter is provided to inform you that ICE is proposing an undertaking subject to NEPA and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ICE is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) tiered from a DHS Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA). The proposed undertaking is for the construction and operation of an approximate 2,400 person family residential center on approximately 51.5 acres of land to the south and southwest of an existing community known as Sendero Ranch located at 1925 West Highway 85, West Dilley, Texas 78017 as identified in Figure 2. The residential center would include all of the necessary services required for ICE to safely house the increased in?ux of family units in compliance with applicable detention and residential codes and standards while they await legal proceedings and processing. ICE has consulted with a number of other State and Federal agencies regarding the proposed project as identified in Attachment 1. Individual agencies will receive additional technical and site related information necessary to provide adequate reviews of the proposed project. ICE respectfully requests that you pr0vide us with any concerns or issues that you feel should be addressed in this SEA. A copy of the SEA for the proposed action can be made available upon request. ICE would appreciate you providing any comments or questions to me via email (pdf) at as soon as possible to expedite this project. Given the urgent humanitarian issues in this situation, time is of the essence. Please direct any questions or informational requests to me at the contact information provided below. Sincerely, "Ff Elizabeth L. Kennett Environmental Program Manager DHS US Immigration and Customs Enforcement 500 12th Street SW, Stop 5704 Washington, DC 20536 Office: (202) 732-6649 Enclosures: Attachment 1 ICE SEA List of Federal and State Agencies Consulted Figure 1 Frio County Map Figure 2 Vicinity Map Figure 3 Site Overview Figure 4 Site Plan Overlay Map ICE Dilley SEA Scoping Letters List 8/13/2014 Page 1 Agency - Address renew Comment/Fenns/Attachment?s USFWS Mary Orms Consultation Review Lead US. Fish and Wildlife Service c/o Texas University at Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Ecological Services Field Of?ce 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5837 Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5 837 Phone: (361) 994-9005 EXT: 246 USFWS Trust Resource List Texas Parks and Wildlife Endangered Species Report NRCS Drew Kinney Modeling Unit Leader USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service 101 S. Main Temple, TX 76501-7682 Of?ce: (254) 742-9854 USDA Form Agency STATE Address Comment/Forms TPWD Russell Hooten Wildlife Habitat Assessment Program TPWD-Wildlife Division 6300 Ocean Drive, NRC 2501 Unit 5846 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 Of?ce: (361) 825-3240 Texas Parks and Wildlife Endangered Species Report USFWS Trust Resource List THC Mark Wolfe State Historic Preservation Of?cer Texas Historical Commission 108 W. 16th Street Austin, TX 78701 (512) 463-6100 Request for SHPO Consultation Form Consultation Form-Ver08l Lodf FRIBES _A_gency Address Comment/Forms Mescalero Apache Holly Houghten Tribal Historic Preservation Of?ce (TI-IPO) PO. Box 227 Mescalero, NM 88340 (575) 464-3005 Comanche Nation of Oklahoma Jimmy Arterberry Tribal Historic Preservation Of?ce (TI-IPO) PO. Box 908 Lawton, OK 73502 (580) 595-9960 Agency Address OTHER STAKEHOLDERS Comment/Forms City of Dilley Honorable Mary Ann Obregon Mayor PO. 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