:ase Document 80 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1687 PagelofS UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA MS. et a1. Case No. 18cv428 DMS MDD Petitioners-Plaintiffs, Hon. Dana M. Sabraw vs. US. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, et a1., Respondents?Defendants. DECLARATION OF JALLYN N. SUALOG, ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PROGRAMS OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES I, allyn N. Sualog, for my declaration pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1746, hereby state and depose as follows: 1. I am the Acting Deputy Director for Children?s Programs for the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an Of?ce within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). I manage programs serving unaccompanied alien children (UAC) within OR. The following statements are based on my personal knowledge, information acquired by me in the course of performing my of?cial duties, information contained in the records of HHS, and information supplied to me by current HHS employees. I am located in Washington, DC. 2. I have held the position of Acting Deputy Director since March of 2018. I have been the Director of Children?s Services since September of 2013. I have worked at 1 A Iase Document 80 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1688 PageZofS ORR since February of 2007. I have a Masters of Arts in Clinical Prior to working at OR, I worked as a mental health professional and I managed the child welfare and social services programs for Hawaii?s largest non-pro?t organization. 3. Once a referring agency such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refers a child as a UAC, regardless whether the child originally came across the border alone or was separated from a parent by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it is the general policy of to adhere to the requirements in the William Wilberforce Traf?cking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA), 8 U.S.C. 1232(c)(3), to determine the suitability of a sponsor prior to release. 4. OR follows the same release policy and procedures before releasing any UAC to a parent or any other sponsor. ORR policy requires the timely release of UAC to quali?ed parents, guardians, relatives, or other adults, referred to collectively as ?sponsors.? ORR Guide 2.1 (Summary of Safe and Timely Release Process). Consistent with the mandate, see 8 U.S.C. 1232(c)(3)(A), ORR evaluates the ability of any potential sponsor, including the child?s parent, to provide for the child?s physical and mental well-being, in order to protect him or her from ?smugglers, traf?ckers, or others who might seek to victimize or otherwise engage the child in criminal, harmful or exploitative activity.? ORR Guide Section 2.1. According to OR policy: ?The process for the safe and timely release of an unaccompanied alien child from OR custody involves many steps, including: the identi?cation of sponsors; the submission by a sponsor of the application for release and supporting documentation; the A Zase Document 80 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1689 PageBofS evaluation of the suitability of the sponsor, including veri?cation of the sponsor?s identity and relationship to the child, background checks, and in some cases home studies; and planning for post-release.? Id. While preference is to release a child to an appropriate sponsor who is veri?ed to be the child?s parent (see ORR Guide 2.2.1), each of these steps apply to all sponsors prior to release, including parents, regardless of whether or not they were separated at the border from their children. 5. One operational challenge for OR is that if a parent or legal guardian of a child is living in the interior of the United States, ORR may not have the parent or legal guardian?s current location or contact information in order to facilitate reunification with the child. 6. OR fully assesses a sponsor before making any release determination. ORR does so even when the proposed sponsor is a parent?, including one who has been separated previously from his or her child. This is partly because ORR lacks the authority to reassume care if the sponsor abuses or neglects a child after a UAC has been released from OR custody; in that respect, ORR is very different from domestic child welfare organizations, which typically retain such authority post-placement. 7. In the last several years, in response to public feedback, ORR has strengthened its UAC release policy to protect children from potential harm. Previously, As noted in the ORR Guide, ORR gives preference to a parent or le a1 guardian when plans, but there are 1nstances_when ORR wou not release an unaccom amed alien child to a parent or legal guardian, such as where there has been a court or ered termination of arental rights over the child, or where there is substantial evidence that the Child would at risk of harm if released to the parent or legal guardian. See ORR Gulde 2.2.1. 3 A Iase Document 80 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1690 Page4of5 in 2015, a federal indictment was brought against labor traf?ckers, to whom ORR had released 8 UAC. The traf?ckers had been identi?ed by both the parents and UAC in af?davits as family friends. The traf?ckers, however, were not friends of these parents. Instead, they forced the UAC to live in substandard conditions and work 12 hours a day, 6 to 7 days a week, on an egg farm. This indictment led to extensive press coverage and prompted an investigation by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs into process of screening potential UAC sponsors and other measures to protect UAC from traf?cking. The results of the investigation were released in January 2016. The Senate Subcommittee found that ORR needed to improve oversight and regularize its procedures regarding release of UAC. strengthening of its UAC release policy was informed by the ?ndings of the Senate Subcommittee. 8. In March 2016, ORR amended its policy regarding the use of home studies, in order to prevent placing children with dangerous sponsors. Home studies scrutinize a potential UAC sponsor?s ability to ensure a child?s safety and well?being. This change, which ORR instituted about halfway through ?scal year 2016, enables a Case Manager and Case Coordinator to recommend that a home study be conducted, even if the TVPRA does not require one. See ORR Guide 2.4.2. All releases following home studies require post-release services. Case Ab) NO on ?4 UI Document 80 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1691 PageSofS 9. in June 20 8. OR enhanced the criteria for sponsor background checks, including of parents. See ORR Guide 2.5 .1. For instance, "[a]ll potential sponsors and adult household members undergo a background check for criminal history and immigration status using ?ngerprints-? Id. Such checks are done by DHS on behalf of ORR. DHS then submits the results to ORR. ORR also conducts background checks independent of DHS. including public records checks and ?ngerprint clearance through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ?As an entity providing for the health and well being of children and youth, ORR uses the results from background checks to- determine whether release to a potential sponsor is safe.? See. ORR Guide 2.5.2. Such background checks. including of both parents and household members, are a standard child welfare measure that ORR deems necessary for purposes of protecting child safety. I, Jallyn N. Sualog?, declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and 9% Jallyn Sualog correct. Executed on June 26. 2018. CHAD A. READLER Acting Assistant Attorney General WILLIAM C. PEACHEY Director WILLIAM C. SILVIS Assistant Director SARAH B. FABIAN Senior Litigation Counsel NICOLE MURLEY Trial Attorney . US. Department of Justice OfflCe of Immigration Litigation District Court Section Box 868, Ben Franklin Station Washington, DC 20442 . Telephone: (202) 532-4824 Fax: (202) 616-8962 ELSE Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1692 Pagelof9 ADAM L. BRAVERMAN Acting United States Attorney SAMUEL W, BETTWY Assistant US. Attorney California Bar No. 94918 CAROLINE J. PRIME Assistant US. Attorney California Bar No. 220000 Office of the US. Attorney 880 Front Street, Room 6293 San Diego, CA 92101-8893 619?546?7125 7183 619?546?7751 (fax) Attorneys for edeml Respondentse Defendants UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA MS. L., et a1. Petitioner-Plaintiff, VS. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, et al., Respondents-Defendants. Case No. 18-cV?428 MDD Declaration of Andrew Lorenzen- Strait Ara-u-) Case Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1693 Page20f9 DECLARATION OF ANDREW 1, Andrew R. Lorenzen-Strait, hereby make the following declaration with respect to the above?captioned matter: . 1.. I am the Deputy Assistant Director of the Custody Programs Division (CPD), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In this capacity, I . oversee two units that create and implement policies and programs that promote the safety and welfare of aliens subject to enforcement actions. The Custody Reporting and Strategy Unit (CRSU) develops strategic systems and collects, analyzes, and evaluates internal and external information to promote and improve compliance with ERO practices, processes, and standards. The Special Populations and Programs Unit (SPPU) strengthens the integrity of the agency?s immigration enforcement activities by creating and leading innovation programs in areas that promote the health, safety, and welfare of vulnerable populations. These efforts include, but are not limited to: parental interests; religious accommodation; sexual assault and abuse prevention and intervention; LGBTI care and language access. 2. I have been in this position since April 2013. Prior to that I was the ICE Public Advocate from February 2012 to April 2013. Parental Interests in General -- - - . .. .- 5.4 i Case Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1694 Page-3 0f9 3. In the course of enforcing our immigration laws, ICE regularly detains alien parents. For this reason, ICE has longstanding policies-in place to address the parental interests of aliens detained in our custody. These policies recognize the special vulnerabilities of this population and stress. the importance of continued communication of parents with their minor children. For example, all versions of the ICE detention standards require Field Of?ce Directors (PODS) to facilitate visits by 'detainees? minor children, stepchildren, and foster children. See NDS 2000 (?iVisitation? standard, part 2008 (?Visitation? standard, part 2011 (Standard '5 .7, ?Visitation,? part Moreover, the ICE ?Detention and Removal of Alien Parents or Legal Guardians? . I policy requires ICE to facilitate a means of regular visitation between detained . parents and their minor child(ren) and for coordinated travel and participation in . family Welfare hearings as appropriate. ICE has had this policy in place since The latest version of this policy was published on August '20, 2017. Through these initiatives ICE has addressed issues that affect parents detained in ICE custody. . Current Efforts at Facilitating Parental Interests 1. One way alien parents come into ICED custody is as a result of a family unit that has been separated upon encounter. Children may be separated from the adu1t(s) With whom they are traveling at the time of apprehension for several reasons: the adult being prosecuted for violating U.S. criminal laws; a lack of identity documents or other evidence validating a parent or legal guardian relationship. with the alien child; Case Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1695 Page4of9 medicalvor other issues .affecting the adult; or additional factors that contribute to a DHS assessment that separation will protect the-health, safety and well?being of the. child. These factors could include the adult?s criminal or immigration history, observed behaviors or actions that cause DHS to become concerned for the welfare of the child, concern about false parental or familial relationship, or a suspicion of smuggling. In all instances, the adult alien will be transferred to the custody of immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) either immediately folloWing an encounter with immigration authorities or upon completion of a criminal sentence if the adult alien was referred for criminal prosecution. The minor children enter the custody of HHS, ORR. . It is the understanding of ICE that family Separations should be documented during initial processing with If available, ICE will have this information during the book-in process and can thus identify the child and his or her location within ORR. When possible, the information is also forwarded to ORR. Once a parent is transferred into ICE custody after'prosecution and the child is placed in ORR custody, ICE will make every effort to ensure communication takes place as quickly as possible. once the relationship is veri?ed. . In order to make parents aware of available resources ERO has created posters, in multiple languages, that explain to a parent/guardian .how to request an opportunity to communicate with his or her child. ICE also operates a toll?free call center Monday?Friday between the hours of 8:00 am 4. 8:00 pm (EST) which assists in 3. Case Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 Page-ID.1696 Page50f9 parents in locating and setting up regular communication with a child in HHS custody. ERO Of?cers in adult detention facilities, working with Of?cers assigned to handle juvenile cases, identify the ORR facility where the child is housed and coordinate with ORR to arrange possible times for the parent/guardian to communicate with the child. I . ERO and OR have established multiple options for a detained parentjguardian to communicate with a child in OR custody. Upon veri?cation of the parent/ guardian and child relationship, ERO Of?cers, ORR staff, and contractors will work to schedule communications via facility hardline telephones, Skype, or FaceTime. - A parent who is ordered removed may request to be reuni? ed with his or her childiren prior to removal in order to return as a family unit. ICE will facilitate the reuni?cation of the family prior to repatriation and arrange for the family to ?y together. Where a I child is in the care and custody of ICE Works with ORR to reunite the parent and child at the time of removal and with the consulate to assist the parent with obtaining a travel document for the child. . If the parent chooses to have his or her children not accompany him or her, ICE accommodates, to the eXtent practicable, the parent?s efforts to make provisions for their children. - WWMIW Case Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1697 Page6of9 Family Residential Centers 8. ICE has family beds available at its family residential centers (FRC). There are 2400 at beds available at the South Texas Family Residential Center (Dilley) in Dilley, Texas, 830 at Karnes Family Residential Center (Karnes) in Kames, Texas, and 96 at Berks Family Residential Center (Berks) in Berks County, The availability of bed space depends on the family unit con?guration including the gender of the parent and age of the children so some beds are rendered unusable. For example, Berks currently only houses families with male heads of household. Moreover, criminals cannot be housed with children so generally individuals with a criminal history will not be eligible to reside at an FRC. In addition, the nature of the FRC is such that housing criminals would not be appropriate. The facilities have an open plan that permit residents to roam freely inside the facilities and housing criminals would present an unacceptable risk to vulnerable residents. Facilities may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis where an individual in a family unit is only convicted of minor offenses. However, arelnot aVailable fOr individuals with a violent or signi?cant criminal. history and there must be no history of gang affiliation. Consequently, are not available for every apprehended family unit. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. .1746, I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correctmm: Case Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PagelD.1698 Page7of9 Executed this 26th day of June 20.18. Andrevi'r??. Lorengen? Strait Deputy Assistant Director, Custody Programs Division I U. Immigration and Customs Enforcement DATED: June 26, 2018 Aún cuando se encuentre detenido por inmigración, usted puede comunicarse con on su su(s) u hijo(s) y tomar decisiones sobre su cuidado do. do de su(s) hijo(s)? ¿Está usted detenido y separado Even though you are in immigrat immigration tion detenti detention ention o you can still communicate with your chil child( d(ren d( e ) en and make decisions about their care. Child(ren)? Are You Detained and Separated FromYour Para obtener más información sobre sus derechos paternales, lea el material de autoayuda de la Comisión de Mujeres Refugiadas Detained or Deported: What About My Children? (Detenidas y Deportadas: ¿Qué les pasará a mis hijos?), disponible en las computadoras de las bibliotecas legales. Además de llamar, usted puede llenar un formulario de solicitud del detenido. Para solicitar asistencia en localizar y/o comunicarse con su hijo(s), pida ayuda a un oficial del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de los Estados Unidos (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés). El Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de los Estados Unidos (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) y la Oficina de Reasentamiento de Refugiados (ORR, por sus siglas en inglés) trabajan en conjunto para localizar niño(s), corroborar la relación familiar entre padres e hijos, establecer comunicaciones continuas entre éstos, y coordinar la expulsión conjunta de padres e hijos de ser necesaria. siglas en inglés) marcando el número gratuito 699# desde cualquiera de los teléfonos de su centro de detención. ¾ Si usted sabe que su(s) hijo(s) está(n) bajo la custodia del gobierno de los Estados Unidos, llame a la línea telefónica para padres de la Oficina de Reasentamientos de Refugiados (ORR, por sus 9116# desde la plataforma gratuita). ¾ Si usted necesita asistencia para localizar a su(s) hijo(s) o para establecer comunicación continua con éstos, llame a la Línea de Información y Denuncias de los Centros de Detención (Marque Us puede pedir ayuda para localizar y/o ponerse en contacto con su(s) hijo(s) al realizar las siguientes Usted llamadas sin costo alguno desde el teléfono de la unidad ubicada en su habitación. Solicite las instrucciones del llam personal de las instalaciones sobre cómo realizar llamadas por teléfono utilizando la plataforma gratuita. per Additional information regarding your parental rights may be found in the Women’s Refugee Commission’s self-help toolkit, Detained or Deported: What About My Children, available on the law library computers. ICE and ORR work together to locate children, verify the parent/child relationship, and set up regular communication and removal coordination, if necessary. In addition to calling, you may also fill out a detainee request form asking an ICE officer for assistance in locating and/or communicating with your child. Resettlement (ORR) Parent Hotline using the free speed dial 699# on the detention phones. ¾ If you know that your child(ren) is in the custody of the U.S. Government, call the Office of Refugee Platform). ¾ If you need assistance locating your child(ren) or setting up regular communication with your child(ren), call the Detention Reporting Information Line (Speed Dial 9116# on the Free Call You can ask for help locating and/or getting in contact with your child(ren) by making the following free calls from your housing unit phones. Ask facility staff for instructions on making phone calls using the pro bono phone platform. Case 3:18-cv-00428-DMS-MDD Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PageID.1699 Page 8 of 9 Next Steps for Case 3:18-cv-00428-DMS-MDD Document 80-1 Filed 06/26/18 PageID.1700 Page 9 of 9 STEP STEP 1 2 STEP 3 FAMILIES ™ ™ You are currently in the custody of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You have been charged with the crime of illegal entry into the United States. Within the next 48 hours, you will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and will be presented before a judge for having violated this law. ™ While this process is occurring, your child or children will be transferred to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), where your child will be held in a temporary child shelter or hosted by a foster family. ™ DHS and HHS can take steps to facilitate reunification with your child(ren). How do I locate my child(ren)? Action 1 - Call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Call Center. ƒ If calling from outside of an ICE detention facility, call 1-888-351-4024. ƒ If calling from an ICE detention facility, call using speed dial 9116# on the free call platform.. ƒ Available Monday – Friday, 8am to 8pm EST. Language assistance is available. Action 2 - Call the ORR Parent Hotline. ƒ If calling from outside of an ICE detention facility, call 1-800-203-7001. ƒ If calling from an ICE detention facility, call using speed dial 699# on the free call platform. ƒ Please provide the child’s full name, date of birth, and country of origin. It is helpful to give the child’s A number, or alien registration number, to the operator if you have it. ƒ Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in Spanish or English. Action 3 – Friends, family, ORR staff, and legal representatives can assist you by emailing: ƒ ICE at Parental.Interests@ice.dhs.gov ƒ ORR at information@ORRNCC.com ™ After your court hearing, you will be transferred to ICE custody. ™ While you are in ICE custody: ƒ ICE will work with ORR to schedule regular communication (via telephone and/or video teleconferencing) with your child(ren). ƒ ICE will provide access to legal self-help materials. ™ Child’s A# / Hijos A# STEP 4 PASO PASO 1 2 PASO 3 PASO 4 Usted está actualmente en la custodia del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos (DHS) Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP). ™ Usted está acusado del delito de entrar a los Estados Unidos ilegalmente. ™ Dentro las próxima 48 horas, usted va a ser transferido a la custodia del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. (DOJ) y vas a aparecer antes de un juez por haber violado la ley. ™ Mientras que ocurre este proceso, su hijo o hijos serán transferidos al Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU. (HHS) Oficina de Reubicación de Refugiados (ORR) donde su hijo será puesto en un refugio para niños o será cuidado por una familia sustituta. ™ DHS y HHS pueden tomar los pasos necesarios para facilitar la reunificación son sus hijos. ™ ¿Como ubico mis hijos? Acción 1 - Llame el Centro de Llamadas del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de EE. UU. (ICE) ƒ Si usted llama fuera de un centro de detención de ICE, llame 1-888-351-4024. ƒ Si usted llama desde un centro de detención de ICE, llame usando la marcación rápida 9116# en la plataforma de llamadas gratuitas. ƒ Accesible lunes-viernes, 8am a 8pm EST. Asistencia para hablar en su idioma está disponible. Acción 2 - Llame la Línea para Padres del ORR. ƒ Si usted llama fuera de un centro de detención de ICE, llame, llame 1-800-203-7001. ƒ Si usted llama desde un centro de detención de ICE, llame usando la marcación rápida 699# en la plataforma de llamadas gratuitas. ƒ Por favor proporcione el nombre completo de su hijo, la fecha de nacimiento, y su país de origen. También infórmale al operador el “A number”, o número de extranjero de su hijo si lo tienes. ƒ Disponible 24 horas al día, 7 días a la semana, en inglés o español. Acción 3 – Amigos, familia, empleados de ORR, y su representación legal pueden asistirlo atreves de mandando u email a: ƒ ICE a Parental.Interests@ice.dhs.gov ƒ ORR a information@ORRNCC.com ™ ™ Usted va a ser transferido a la custodia del ICE después de su audiencia en la corte. Mientras en el cuidado y custodia de ICE: ƒ ICE va a trabajar con ORR para designar comunicación fija (vía teléfono y/o video teleconferencia) con sus hijos. ƒ ICE dará acceso a materiales de autoayuda legal.