Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
DHS Releases Memos and Management Directives
DHS released memos and management directives on law enforcement, advanced parole, removal, VAWA, and other topics.
| Topic | Description | Date of Release |
|---|---|---|
| Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children and with Respect to Certain individuals Who Are the Parents of U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents | This memorandum is intended to reflect new policies for the use of deferred action. This memorandum also supplements and amends the guidance entitled Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children issued by Secretary Napolitano on June 15, 2012 | November 20, 2014 |
| Secure Communities | DHS memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson directing ICE to discontinue Secure Communities | November 20, 2014 |
| Policies for the Apprehension, Detention and Removal of Undocumented Immigrants | Memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson reflecting new policies for the apprehension, detention, and removal of undocumented immigrants. | November 20, 2014 |
| Department Policy on the Use of Force | This memo articulates department-wide standards and guidelines related to the use of force by DHS law enforcement officers and agents, and affirms the duty of all DHS employees to report improper uses of force. | September 7, 2018 |
| Policies Supporting U.S. High-Skilled Businesses and Workers | Memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson directing new policies and regulations to support "high-skilled businesses and workers by better enabling U.S. businesses to hire and retain highly skilled foreign-born workers with increased flexibility to make natural advancements with their current employers or seek similar opportunities elsewhere." | November 20, 2014 |
| Families of U.S. Armed Forces Members and Enlistees | Memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson directing USCIS "to issue new policies on the use of parole-in-place or deferred action for certain spouses, children, and parents of individuals seeking to enlist in the U.S. armed forces." | November 20, 2014 |
| Directive to Provide Consistency Regarding Advance Parole | Memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson noting that he has asked DHS General Counsel to issue written legal guidance on the meaning of the BIA decision in Matter of Arrabally, "which will clarify that in all cases when an individual physically leaves the United States pursuant to a grant of advance parole, that individual shall not have made a "departure" within the meaning of section 212(a)(9)(B)(i) of the INA." | November 20, 2014 |
| Expansion of the Provisional Waiver Program | Memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson directing USCIS "to issue new regulations and policies with respect to the use of the I-601A provisional waiver to all statutorily eligible applicants." | November 20, 2014 |
| Policies to Promote and Increase Access to U.S. Citizenship | Memo from Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson directing USCIS to implement credit card processing for the payment of naturalization fees, conducting a fee study to explore a partial fee waiver program, expanding public awareness on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and encouraging U.S. citizenship. | November 20, 2014 |
| Disclosure of Asylum or Refugee Information for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Purposes | This directive serves as the principal reference for the disclosure of Asylum or Refugee Information by the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis (USIA), the USCIS Director, the CBP Commissioner, the Assistant Secretary/Director of ICE, and the Director of Operations Coordination for intelligence (including foreign intelligence or counterintelligence) or counterterrorism purposes to elements of the intelligence community, other federal departments and agencies, and state, tribal, territorial, local, and, in certain limited circumstances as provided in this directive, foreign government entities. | November 15, 2016 |
| Council on Combating Violence Against Women | This directive establishes the DHS Council on Combating Violence Against Women and its membership, and outlines the Council functions, coordination responsibilities, and operating procedures. The Council focuses on advancing overall knowledge of and compliance with VAWA, VTVPA, subsequent reauthorizations of the law, and related immigration laws and issues, as well as the provision of training and resources to stakeholders and the public as appropriate. | March 14, 2013 |
| Implementation of Section 1367 Information Provisions | This directive establishes a single DHS policy regarding the implementation of Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1367 (VAWA), and provides guidance as instructed by 8 U.S.C. 1367(d), as amended by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, Public Law 113-4, section 810. | April 29, 2019 |
| Southern Border and Approaches Campaign | Memo from DHS Secretary Jeh Charles Johnson directing new policies in furtherance of DHS's Southern Border and Approaches Campaign Plan first announced on May 8, 2014. | November 20, 2014 |