28 CFR Part 0, Subpart L - Environment and Natural Resources Division

This rule revises the Department of Justice's (Department's) regulations implementing a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) concerning unfair immigration-related employment practices. The revisions conform the regulations to the statutory text as amended, simplify and add definitions of statutory terms, update and clarify the procedures for filing and processing charges of discrimination, ensure effective investigations of unfair immigration-related employment practices, reflect developments in nondiscrimination jurisprudence, reflect changes in existing practices ( e.g., electronic filing of charges), reflect the new name of the office within the Department charged with enforcing this statute, and replace outdated references.

This final rule amends the Department of Justice (DOJ) organizational regulations to remove authority from United States Attorneys (USAs) to designate any Assistant United States Attorney as Acting United States Attorney. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 governs designations of Acting USAs. The removal of authority from USAs is designed to bring DOJ's organizational regulations in compliance with the Act.

On August 15, 2016, the Department of Justice (Department) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register proposing to revise regulations implementing section 274B of the Immigration and Nationality Act, concerning unfair immigration-related employment practices. The comment period for the NPRM is scheduled to close on September 14, 2016. The Department is extending the comment period by 30 days until October 14, 2016, in order to provide additional time for the public to prepare comments.

The Department of Justice (Department) proposes to revise regulations implementing a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act concerning unfair immigration-related employment practices. The proposed revisions are appropriate to conform the regulations to the statutory text as amended, simplify and add definitions of statutory terms, update and clarify the procedures for filing and processing charges of discrimination, ensure effective investigations of unfair immigration-related employment practices, reflect developments in nondiscrimination jurisprudence, reflect changes in existing practices ( e.g., electronic filing of charges), reflect the new name of the office within the Department charged with enforcing this statute, and replace outdated references.

This rule amends the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the establishment of the Office for Access to Justice as a distinct component of the Department of Justice. The Office for Access to Justice was created by the Attorney General to address the access-to-justice crisis in the criminal and civil justice systems. The office's mission is to help ensure that the justice system is efficient, fair, and accessible to all, irrespective of an individual's wealth and status. This rule sets forth the Office's organization, mission and functions.

This final rule amends Civil Directive 1-10, which sets forth the redelegation of authority by the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division to deputy assistant attorneys general, branch directors, heads of offices, and United States Attorneys. On May 21, 2015, the Attorney General signed Order No. 3532-2015 increasing the monetary thresholds for the authority of Assistant Attorneys General to compromise or close civil claims, and increasing the redelegation authority to the United States Attorneys with respect to accepting offers of compromise for affirmative claims. Pursuant to the Attorney General's order, the new rule increases the redelegated authority to Branch Directors, heads of offices, and United States Attorneys to close or compromise affirmative claims. Additionally, the new rule redelegates to United States Attorneys, directors, and attorneys-in-charge the authority to issue compulsory process, and makes a few “housekeeping” revisions.

This final rule amends the Department's regulations to increase the authority currently delegated to the Assistant Attorneys General to compromise or close civil claims and to make certain technical corrections.

The Department of Justice is amending its regulations to delegate to the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) authority to seize and administratively forfeit property involved in controlled substance offenses.

This rule amends the regulations for the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (Arrest Program) to incorporate statutory changes, make minor technical corrections, and streamline existing regulations to reduce repetition of statutory language. This rule also amends the regulations to clarify that existing regulations on grant-related procedures continue to apply to grants made by the Office on Violence Against Women.

This rule revises certain regulations of the Department of Justice (the “Department”) that govern the Pardon Attorney. The rule conforms the regulations to current practice, under which the Pardon Attorney is subject to the direction of, and submits recommendations in clemency cases through, the Deputy Attorney General.

This rule proposes to amend the regulations for the Grants To Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (Arrest Program) to incorporate statutory changes, make minor technical corrections, and streamline existing regulations to reduce repetition of statutory language. This rule would also amend the regulations to clarify that existing regulations on grant-related procedures continue to apply to grants made by the Office on Violence Against Women.

The Department of Justice is amending its regulations to extend the trial period during which the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) may exercise, for an additional one-year period following the effective date of this rule, the authority under the United States Code to seize and administratively forfeit property involved in controlled substance offenses. The Attorney General has determined that the trial period that ends on February 25, 2014, should be extended for another year to give ATF more time to refine its processes, fully hire and train all necessary staff, and further demonstrate the effectiveness of the delegation in the investigation of violent crimes involving firearms.

This rule revises the United States Marshals Service fees to reflect current costs to the United States Marshals Service for service of process in federal court proceedings. A proposed rule with invitation to comment was published in the Federal Register on April 12,2013, at 78 FR 21862. Only one comment was received within the 60-day comment period and that comment supported adoption of the rule. Accordingly, the proposed rule is finalized without change.

This rule proposes to increase the fee from $55 per person per hour to $65 per person per hour for process served or executed personally by a United States Marshals Service employee, agent, or contractor. This proposed fee increase reflects the current costs to the United States Marshals Service for service of process in federal court proceedings.

The Department of Justice is amending its regulations to allow the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to exercise, for a one-year period following the effective date of this rule, the authority to seize and administratively forfeit property involved in controlled substance offenses. Many years of experience have demonstrated that forfeiting the assets of criminals is an essential tool in combating criminal activity and provides law enforcement with the capacity to dismantle criminal organizations that would continue to function after the conviction and incarceration of individual offenders. Moreover, administrative forfeiture permits the expedient and effective use of this crucial law enforcement tool.