Advance Copy of ORR Notice Providing $9M for Direct Legal Representation of UACs

Susan Carroll at the Houston Chronicle reports that this Notice [emphasis added] will appear soon in the Federal Register:

4184-45-P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families

CFDA Number: 93.676

Announcement of the Award of Two Single-Source Program Expansion Supplement Grants to Support Legal Services To Refugees Under The Unaccompanied Alien Children's Program

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF, HHS.

ACTION: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), announces the award of two single-source program expansion supplement grants to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Washington, DC, and to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) in Arlington, VA, under the Unaccompanied Alien Children's (UAC) Program to support post-release legal services.

SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) announces the award of two single-source program expansion supplement grants totaling of $4,261,268. The expansion supplement grants will support the need for legal services by unaccompanied alien children after their release from the custody of ORR. USCCB and USCRI provide nationwide coverage to children released from ORR custody with services including counseling, case management, and additional support to the family, or to the unaccompanied child and their sponsor.

Under the FY 2014 supplemental awards, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Washington, DC, will receive a supplemental award of $2,226,513 and to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) in Arlington, VA, will receive a supplemental award of $2,034,755.

DATES: Supplemental award funds will support activities from September 30, 2014 through September 29, 2015.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Unaccompanied Alien Children's program ensures the appropriate placement of all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) UAC referrals within specified timeframes and requires that a range of custodial/residential shelter care and services are provided to the minor detainees and, in certain cases, continued services are authorized after a child is released from ORR residential shelter care. The supplemental awards will support and expand direct legal representation services for unaccompanied minor children after their release from ORR custody.

As part of an administration-wide effort, HHS is proposing a $9 million direct legal representation project that will provide representation to 2,600 unaccompanied children throughout their immigration proceedings. In order to implement this Departmental priority, ORR is awarding supplemental funds totaling $4,261,268 in FY 2014 to provide direct representation to 1,222 children and plans to provide the remaining funds for this project in FY 2015.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: This program is authorized by - (A) Section 462 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which in March 2003, transferred responsibility for the care and custody of Unaccompanied Alien Children from the Commissioner of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to the Director of ORR of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). (B) The Flores Settlement Agreement, Case No. CV85-4544RJK (C. D. Cal. 1996), as well as the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Pub.L. 110-457), which authorizes post release services under certain conditions to eligible children. All programs must comply with the Flores Settlement Agreement, Case No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996), pertinent regulations and ORR policies and procedures.