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PolicyNumber:10076.1FEANumber:306-112-002b
JUN
17
2011
Office
of
theDirector
U.S.
Department
of
HomelandSecurity500
12th
Street,SWWashington,D.C.20536
U.S.
ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement
MEMORANDUMFOR:FROM:SUBJECT:Purpose:AllFieldOfficeDirectorsAllSpecialAgentsinChargeAllChiefCounsel
JohuMorton(2J.
~
•
DIrector
~
ProsecutorialDiscretion:CertainVictims,Witnesses,andPlaintiffsThismemorandumsetsforthagencypolicyregardingtheexercise
of
prosecutorialdiscretioninremovalcasesinvolvingthevictimsandwitnesses
of
crime,includingdomesticviolence,andindividualsinvolvedinnon-frivolouseffortsrelatedtotheprotection
of
theircivilrightsandliberties.Inthesecases,ICEofficers,specialagents,andattorneysshouldexerciseallappropriateprosecutorialdiscretiontominimizeanyeffectthatimmigrationenforcementmayhaveonthewillingnessandability
of
victims,witnesses,andplaintiffstocallpoliceandpursuejustice.Thismemorandumbuildsonpriorguidanceonthehandling
of
casesinvolvingTandUvisasandtheexercise
of
prosecutorialdiscretion.
I
Discussion:Absentspecialcircumstancesoraggravatingfactors,itisagainstICEpolicytoinitiateremovalproceedingsagainstanindividualknowntobetheimmediatevictimorwitnesstoacrime.Inpractice,thevastmajority
of
stateandlocallawenforcementagencies
do
notgenerallyarrestvictimsorwitnesses
of
crimeaspart
of
aninvestigation.However,ICEregularlyhearsconcernsthatinsomeinstancesastateorlocallawenforcementofficermayarrestandbookmultiplepeopleatthescene
of
allegeddomesticviolence.Inthesecases,anarrestedvictimorwitness
of
domesticviolencemaybebookedandfingerprintedand,throughtheoperation
of
theSecure
I
Forathoroughexplanation
of
prosecutoriaIdiscretion,seethefollowing:MemorandumfromPeter
S.
Vincent,PrincipalLegalAdvisor,GuidanceRegardingUNonimmigrantStatus
(U
visa)Applicants
in
RemovalProceedingsorwithFinalOrders
of
DeportationorRemoval(Sept.25,2009);MemorandumfromWilliam
J.
Howard,PrincipalLegalAdvisor,VAWA2005AmendmentstoImmigrationandNationalityActand8U.S.C.
§
1367(Feb.
1,2007);
MemorandumfromJulie
L.
Myers,AssistantSecretary
of
ICE,ProsecutorialandCustodyDiscretion(Nov.7,2007);MemorandumfromWilliamJ.Howard,PrincipalLegalAdvisor,ProsecutorialDiscretion(Oct.24,2005);MemorandumfromDorisMeissner,Commissioner,ImmigrationandNaturalizationService,ExercisingProsecutorialDiscretion(Nov.17,2000).www.ice.gov
 
ProsecutorialDiscretion:CertainVictims,Witnesses,andPlaintiffsPage
2
CommunitiesprogramoranotherICEenforcementprogram,maycometotheattention
of
ICE.Absentspecialcircumstances,itissimilarlyagainstICEpolicytoremoveindividualsinthemidst
of
alegitimateefforttoprotecttheircivilrightsorcivilliberties.Toavoiddeterringindividualsfromreportingcrimesandfrompursuingactionstoprotecttheircivilrights,ICEofficers,specialagents,andattorneysareremindedtoexerciseallappropriatediscretiononacase-by-casebasiswhenmakingdetentionandenforcementdecisionsinthecases
of
victims
of
crime,witnessestocrime,andindividualspursuinglegitimatecivilrightscomplaints.Particularattentionshouldbepaidto:•victims
of
domesticviolence,humantrafficking,orotherseriouscrimes;•witnessesinvolvedinpendingcriminalinvestigationsorprosecutions;•plaintiffsinnon-frivolouslawsuitsregardingcivilrightsorlibertiesviolations;and•individualsengaginginaprotectedactivityrelatedtocivilorotherrights(forexampleunionorganizingorcomplainingtoauthoritiesaboutemploymentdiscriminationorhousingconditions)whomaybeinanon-frivolousdisputewithanemployer,landlordorcontractor.Indecidingwhetherornottoexercisediscretion,ICEofficers,agents,andattorneysshouldconsiderallseriousadversefactors.Thosefactorsincludenationalsecurityconcernsorevidencethealienhasaseriouscriminalhistory,
is
involvedinaseriouscrime,orposesathreattopublicsafety.Otheradversefactorsincludeevidencethealien
is.
ahumanrightsviolatororhasengagedinsignificantimmigrationfraud.Intheabsence
of
theseorotherseriousadversefactors,exercisingfavorablediscretion,suchasreleasefromdetentionanddeferralorastay
of
removalgenerally,willbeappropriate.Discretionmayalsotakedifferentformsandextendtodecisionstoplaceorwithdrawadetainer,toissueaNoticetoAppear,todetainorreleaseanalien,tograntastayordeferral
of
removal,toseektermination
of
proceedings,orto
join
amotiontoadministrativelycloseacase.Inadditiontoexercisingprosecutorialdiscretiononacase-by-casebasisinthesescenarios,ICEofficers,agents,andattorneysarereminded
of
theexistingprovisions
of
theTraffickingVictimsProtectionAct(TVPA),2itssubsequentreauthorization,3andtheViolenceAgainstWomenAct(VAWA).4Theseprovideseveralprotectionsforthevictims
of
crimeandincludespecificprovisionsforvictims
of
domesticviolence,victims
of
certainothercrimes,
5
andvictims
of
humantrafficking.Victims
of
domesticviolencewhoarethechild,parent,orcurrent/formerspouse
of
aU.S.citizenorpermanentresidentmaybeabletoself-petitionforpermanentresidency.
6
AUnonimmigrantvisaprovideslegalstatusforthevictims
of
substantialmentalorphysicalabuseas
2
Pub.
L.
No.106-386,§§101-113,114Stat.14641466(codified
as
amendedinscatteredsections
of
theU.S.c.).
3
WilliamWilberforceTraffickingVictimsProtectionReauthorizationAct
of2008,
Pub.
L.
No.110-457,
122
Stat.1464,
1491
(codifiedasamendedinscatteredsections
of
theU.S.c.).
4
Pub.
L.
o.
106-386,§§1001-1603,114Stat.1464,
1491
(codified
as
amended
in
scatteredsections
of
theU.S.C.).
5
Foralist
of
thequalifyingcrimes,seeINA§101(a)(15)(U)(iii)..
6
See
INA§101(a)(51).
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