Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements

ICE Invites Stakeholders to September 13, Engagement for Legal Service Providers on FERM

9/8/23 AILA Doc. No. 23090804. Asylum, Expedited Removal, Removal & Relief

The Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) program of non-detained credible fear interviews for families is expanding to several new cities. If you are interested in attending the Wednesday, September 13, engagement, RSVP by Monday, September 11, at noon (ET).

The Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) will expand to on the dates listed below:

September 8, 2023

  • Hartford, CT
  • Stockton, CA
  • Memphis, TN
  • Salt Lake City, UT

September 15, 2023

  • Miami, FL
  • Orlando, FL
  • Tampa, FL

DATE: September 13, 2023, Wednesday
TIME: 430-5 pm ET
RSVP: Please put on the subject line “FERM Engagement 9/13/23” and a link will be sent out before the meeting.

NOTE: This engagement is for stakeholders only. It is not for press purposes, and it is off the record. We can connect press to our Office of Public Affairs and Congressional staff to our Office of Congressional Affairs. We will be reaching out separately to the local government officials.

Please send the name, organization, and email of the legal service provider to iceope@ice.dhs.gov by noon on Monday, September 11.

For background on FERM:

In May, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations announced a process for family units apprehended at the southwest border who are processed for expedited removal and indicate an intention to apply for asylum or express a fear of persecution or torture. See, https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-announces-new-process-placing-family-units-expedited-removal. This process, Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM), will place certain heads of household for family units on Alternatives to Detention (ATD) technology – a GPS ankle monitor – for continuous monitoring and make them subject to a curfew.

FERM is designed to ensure family units in the credible fear process participate in a timely credible fear interview with USCIS and any requested review by an immigration judge without being detained. Families who receive a final negative credible fear determination will generally be removed from the United States within 30 days from processing into Expedited Removal and referral to USCIS.

Heads of household are eligible to be enrolled in FERM if they are: (1) processed for expedited removal; (2) nationals of countries to which ICE maintains regular removal flights; and (3) residing in a location under the jurisdiction of the ICE field office based in one of FERM-destination cities.

Heads of households of family units not placed into FERM may be placed on Alternatives to Detention. For more info on ATD, see https://www.ice.gov/features/atd.