EOIR OPPM 05-04

U.S. Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review Office of the Chief Immigration Judge 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2500 Falls Church, Virginia 22041 April 22, 2005 Chief Immigration Judge MEMORANDUM TO: All Immigration Judges All Court Administrators All Judicial Law Clerks All Immigration Court Staff FROM: The Office of the Chief Immigration Judge SUBJECT: Operating Policies and Procedures Memorandum 05-04: Security Guidelines In Detention Facilities TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION....................................................................................... 1 I. II.

SECURITY GUIDELINES IN DETENTION FACILITIES.......................

1 III.

CONCLUSION...........................................................................................

2 I. INTRODUCTION This Operating Policies and Procedures Memorandum (OPPM) is directed to all Immigration Judges and Immigration Court staff whose duties require them to work within the confines of detention facilities. Such facilities include Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Bureau of Prisons (BOP) detention facilities, as well as state and county detention facilities. II.

SECURITY GUIDELINES IN DETENTION FACILITIES

All Immigration Judges and Immigration Court staff whose duties require them to work within the confines of detention facilities must comport themselves at all times in a manner that is fully consistent with the security guidelines and practices in place at their respective facilities. Of particular concern is avoiding the introduction of contraband into the facility. Contraband is generally defined as goods or merchandise whose importation, exportation, or possession is prohibited. The definition of what is or is not contraband in a particular detention facility is left to the sole discretion of the facility administrator, i.e., the warden or officer-in-charge.

The facility administrator’s authority to determine what is contraband in a particular facility is absolute. The difference in security classifications between facilities often means that an item not considered contraband in one facility may very well be contraband at another. There is no standard definition of contraband that applies to every facility. Consequently, it is incumbent upon Immigration Judges and staff who work in a detention facility or facilities to become familiar with and remain cognizant of applicable security guidelines.

If you are not familiar with the security guidelines for your respective facilities or if you have questions about those guidelines, please notify your Court Administrator immediately. However, the obligation to become aware of and to fully comply with security guidelines applicable to a facility or facilities rests with the individual employee. Deviation from established security guidelines could be detrimental to the health and well-being of staff and is not acceptable.

III.

CONCLUSION

All Immigration Judges and Immigration Court staff whose duties require them to work within the confines of detention facilities must be aware of and comply with the security guidelines and practices applicable to those facilities. If you have any questions regarding this OPPM, please contact Brenda O’Malley, Counsel to the Chief Immigration Judge, or your Assistant Chief Immigration Judge at (703) 305-1247. ____________________________________ Michael J. Creppy Chief Immigration Judge - 2 -