(a) Authority of the Director. The Director has the discretionary authority to review a request for reconsideration pursuant to §1292.13(e), §1292.16(f), or §1292.17(d) that has been denied.

(1) An organization whose request for reconsideration pursuant to §1292.13(e), §1292.16(f), or §1292.17(d) has been denied may request administrative review from the Director within ten (10) days of the denial, identifying the alleged factual or legal errors in the underlying determination. The request for administrative review shall be submitted to the Assistant Director for Policy (or the Assistant Director for Policy's delegate), who will forward the request to the Director.

(2) The Director may review a request for reconsideration pursuant to §1292.13(e), §1292.16(f), or §1292.17(d) that has been denied on the Director's own initiative by issuing a notification of administrative review within ten (10) days of the denial. This notification shall state the issues to be reviewed.

(3) The recognition of the organization and the accreditation of any representatives that are subject to administrative review as described in this section shall remain valid pending the Director's consideration of the request, except in the case of an interim suspension pursuant to 8 CFR 1003.111.

(b) Review. The Director shall review the record before the Office of Policy and the organization's request for administrative review, and, in the Director's discretion, may request additional filings from the organization. The Director may affirm the denial of the request for reconsideration or vacate the denial and return the matter to the Assistant Director for Policy (or the Assistant Director for Policy's delegate) for further action consistent with the Director's determination. The Director may not approve a request for recognition or accreditation or renewal thereof.

(c) Referral of cases to the Attorney General. The Director will refer to the Attorney General for review of decisions pursuant to this section in all cases that the Attorney General directs the Director to refer to him or that the Director believes should be referred to him.

(d) Decisions as precedents. The Director, in his discretion, may cause reconsideration decisions by the OLAP Director pursuant to §1292.13(e), §1292.16(f), or §1292.17(d), or decisions by the Director pursuant to this section to be published as precedents in the same manner as decisions of the Board and the Attorney General. Such decisions by the OLAP Director, except as overruled by the Director, and such decisions by the Director, except as overruled by the Attorney General, will serve as precedents in all proceedings under part 1292 involving the same issue or issues.

[81 FR 92367, Dec. 19, 2016, as amended at 84 FR 44542, Aug. 26, 2019; 84 FR 31470, July 2, 2019; 85 FR 69482, Nov. 3, 2020]