Hi everybody,
here is the information I got from Melanie Nezer regarding the exeption process proposed by the DHS. I hope this will shed some light into this messy situation
Background and Principles of Interagency TRIG Process
* The interagency has prioritized review and reform of the interagency process for Tier III exemption authorization;
* The agreed-to interagency process aims to allow for a thorough review of all of the over 350 Tier III groups and associated cases on hold and the adjudication of those cases;
* The process will remain in place to ensure timely consideration of future exemptions as the need arises;
* The process has been designed to enhance, not diminish, the national security reviews each group and individual beneficiary of an exemption undergoes before an exemption or the underlying case is granted;
* Although group-by-group evaluation will require a significant dedication of U.S. Government resources over an extended period of time, interagency participants agree that it is important to retain group review as a part of the vetting process for exemption determinations.
Description of Interagency TRIG Process
* Group-by-group evaluation by interagency partners, including open-source reviews, distribution of case examples, and Intelligence Community (IC) input;
* Interagency consultation, in light of the available information on the groups or categories of cases in question, on whether, and under what circumstances, an exemption should be provided;
* Specified timelines for review and consultation to ensure the process moves apace;
* Once groups or categories of cases have been vetted by the interagency, the agency initiating the review (DOS or DHS) will put the groups or categories of cases forward for Secretarial review and a final decision on whether to exercise the exemption authority;
* Once a decision is reached on whether or not an exemption should be granted for a particular group or category of cases, DHS and State will adjudicate cases within that group or category under their respective jurisdictions, including any cases previously on hold pending an exemption decision;
* Intensive individualized security reviews will be conducted as part of the adjudication of each alien's case as exemptions are implemented.
Administration Goal for Interagency TRIG Process
* Review of all of the groups within 18 months from mid-CY 2010 to end of CY 2011;
* Release from hold the associated cases as exemption decisions are made within that same period (or lagging by 1-2 months), w/ over 50% of cases released by the end of CY10;
* Timely adjudication of cases released from hold.