DPIAC Recommendations Report 2018-02 Immigration Statistics Data Dissemination Practices

On September 15, 2017, the DHS Chief Privacy Officer issued a tasking requesting that the DPIAC provide guidance on how best to disseminate statistical data from the Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS) in order to strengthen the Department’s ability to analyze the immigration enforcement and immigration benefits lifecycles, and provide real-time access to relevant immigration data needed to support operations, analysis, reporting, and strategic decision making. This integrated immigration data system will also support the Department’s ability to disseminate statistics and to permit public access to statistical information that will inform key stakeholders and promote transparency.

Within this context, DPIAC was asked to provide a mix of high-level policy guidance on general data dissemination principles as well as technical guidance to:
1. Identify best practices for protecting data linked for statistical purposes, including “crosswalk” files containing identifiers, from both an information technology and policy perspective; and
2. Identify data disclosure methods, and whether is it advisable to consider variable controls for releases to different audiences/mediums. If such controls were utilized, what policy controls should be considered?

Report was published on December 10, 2018.