1300 Repatriation

Any private or public facility that provides short term lodging in an aggregate capacity for evacuees and/or repatriates to sleep and/or rest while waiting for their onward travel to final destination. Examples include schools, stadiums, military facilities, churches, etc.

Short-term assistance provided in an aggregate capacity to evacuees and/or repatriates while waiting for processing and onward travel to final destination. These services may include mass feeding, Emergency Repatriation Center emergency medical services, congregate shelter, among other HHS/ACF authorized congregate assistance.

A dependent generally refers to the citizen’s spouse, unmarried minor children (including adopted and stepchildren), unmarried adult children (who are dependent because they are disabled or with qualifying access and functional needs), and under certain circumstances, parents and other immediate family member with qualifying access and functional needs who are financially dependent on an adult U.S. citizen either temporarily or permanently. A dependent family member ordinarily refers to a person who lives with the adult U.S. citizen, and is related through blood, marriage, adoption, or other legal family relationship.

For the purpose of the HHS U.S. Repatriation Program, a U.S. citizen and his/her dependent/s identified by the Department of State (DOS) as having returned or being brought to the United States due to destitution, illness, war, threat of war, invasion, or similar crisis, and is without resources immediately accessible to meet his/her needs. For purposes of DOS evacuation to a safe haven, an eligible person is a U.S. citizen, U.S. noncitizen national, or certain non-U.S. citizens identified by the DOS as meeting eligibility requirements of one or more loan programs to travel to the United States due to destitution, illness, war, threat of war, invasion, or similar crisis.

Department of State Emergency repatriation activities are characterized by contingency events such as civil unrest, war, threat of war or similar crisis, among other incidents. Depending on the type of event, number of evacuees and resources available, HHS/ACF/OHSEPR responds utilizing two scalable mechanisms, group repatriations (evacuations or repatriations of 50 to 500 individuals) and emergency repatriations (evacuations or repatriations of more than 500 individuals).

A joint service center established and managed by the State on behalf of HHS/ACF/OHSEPR. This site is used for processing noncombatant evacuees and for the provision of temporary assistance as defined by Program regulations. ERCs are usually located at commercial service airports and/or military bases. Under rare circumstances, ERCs may be located in facilities or areas outside an airport or military base (e.g., hotel, seaport).

Individuals evacuated during a DOS authorized or ordered departure. This term includes but is not limited to U.S. citizens, dependents of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e. “LPRs” or green card holders), third country nationals, and other individuals with proper documentation to enter the United tates (e.g., visa holders).

The act of moving designated eligible persons from an area usually of danger to a safer area.

Any person not a citizen of the United States who is residing in the U.S. under legally recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence as an immigrant.

U.S. and non-U.S. citizens who may be authorized or assisted in evacuation. It may include (1) civilian employees of U.S. Government agencies and their dependents; (2) U.S. citizens and their dependents; and (3) designated aliens and others.

DOS-ordered or authorized evacuations executed by DOD wherein NCEs and others are evacuated to a safe haven. If the safe haven is the United States, the NEO is complete when the noncombatants have arrived at the port of entry within the United States.

The ongoing routine operations of the HHS U.S. Repatriation Program where DOS refers individuals or families to HHS/ACF/OHSEPR Program eligibility, reception and provision of temporary assistance in the United States upon arrival.

Place of debarkation where one may lawfully enter the United States. The POE can be a commercial service airport, military base, border, seaport, or other federally authorized entry point.

Term use for U.S. citizens who do not hold any U.S. public or official position and/or are noncombatants.

Emergency services provided at the ERC to evacuees and repatriates following their evacuation and/or repatriation by DOS. During emergency repatriation activities, reception services are generally provided at the ERC for up to the first 24 hours and do not include U.S. Repatriation Program temporary assistance.

A status that may be granted to people who have been persecuted or fear they will be persecuted because of race, religion, nationality, and/or membership in a particular social group or political opinion.

The procedure whereby private U.S. citizens and their dependents are officially processed back into the United States subsequent to DOS facilitated/coordinated evacuation.

One repatriate or a nuclear family composed of eligible evacuees who are processed using the same HHS Emergency and Group Processing From.

A place where NCEs under the U.S. Government’s responsibility may be evacuated during an emergency. This location can be in the United States or outside the United States.

The terms United States and States are defined by 45 C.F.R. 212.1(g) to include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam along with the fifty (50) States. These are the only geographical areas where HHS/ACF may provide repatriation assistance during emergencies and non-emergency activities.

State-designated staff responsible for coordinating the development, implementation, and execution of the State emergency repatriation plan (SERP). This person is the main State POC before, and potentially during and immediately after an emergency evacuation.

State-designated staff responsible for coordinating, in consultation with OHSEPR and its designated grantee, the provision of up to 90 days of temporary services to eligible repatriates at the State of final destination. Also responsible for coordinating the repatriate’s meet and greet at the POE during non-emergency repatriation activities.

Government (e.g., Federal, State) and non-governmental agency or organization with which HHS/ACF/OHSEPR has entered into an agreement to assist with specific U.S. Repatriation Program functions. Also referred to “Partners” or “Service Providers.”

Services provided to eligible HHS repatriates and include cash payment, medical care (including counseling), temporary billeting (e.g., shelter), transportation, and other goods and services necessary for the health or welfare of individuals. It is given to eligible individuals upon arrival to the United States for up to 90 calendar days. Services are provided in the form of a loan repayable to the United States Federal Government.

A non-U.S. citizen who is in a country other than the person’s country of nationality. On a case-by-case, space-available and reimbursable basis, DOS may provide evacuation transportation to TCNs to the designated safe haven.

A member of a group or community of Indigenous peoples in the United States. For the purpose of the HHS U.S. Repatriation Program, these evacuees are considered U.S. citizens.

U.S. citizen minor or dependent of U.S. citizens from birth to 17 years who are traveling alone.

An individual who owes his or her sole allegiance to the United States, including all U.S. citizens and some individuals who are not U.S. citizens. For the purpose of this program, individuals who were born in American Samoa or in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands who have made the election to be treated as U.S. nationals and not as U.S. citizens are generally eligible for HHS temporary assistance if repatriated due to mental illness and/or during emergency repatriation activities.