CHAPTER 4 - INSPECTION, APPREHENSION, EXAMINATION, EXCLUSION, AND REMOVAL
INA: ACT 231 - LISTS OF ALIEN AND CITIZEN
PASSENGERS ARRIVING OR DEPARTING; RECORD OF RESIDENT ALIENS AND CITIZENS
LEAVING PERMANENTLY FOR FOREIGN COUNTRY
SEC. 231. 1/ (a) ARRIVAL
MANIFESTS- For each commercial vessel or aircraft transporting any person to
any seaport or airport of the United States from any place outside the United
States, it shall be the duty of an appropriate official specified in subsection
(d) to provide to any United States border officer (as defined in subsection
(i)) at that port manifest information about each passenger, crew member, and
other occupant transported on such vessel or aircraft prior to arrival at that
port.
(b) DEPARTURE MANIFESTS- For each commercial vessel or
aircraft taking passengers on board at any seaport or airport of the United
States, who are destined to any place outside the United States, it shall be
the duty of an appropriate official specified in subsection (d) to provide any
United States border officer (as defined in subsection (i))before departure
from such port manifest information about each passenger, crew member, and
other occupant to be transported.
(c) CONTENTS OF MANIFEST- The information to be provided
with respect to each person listed on a manifest required to be provided under
subsection (a) or (b) shall include--
(1) complete name;
(2) date of birth;
(3) citizenship;
(4) sex;
(5) passport number and country of issuance;
(6) country of residence;
(7) United States visa number, date, and place of issuance, where applicable;
(8) alien registration number, where applicable;
(9) United States address while in the United States; and
(10) such other information the Attorney General, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Treasury determines as being necessary
for the identification of the persons transported and for the enforcement of
the immigration laws and to protect safety and national security.
(d) APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS SPECIFIED- An appropriate
official specified in this subsection is the master or commanding officer, or
authorized agent, owner, or consignee, of the commercial vessel or aircraft
concerned.
(e) DEADLINE FOR REQUIREMENT OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
OF MANIFEST INFORMATION- Not later than January 1, 2003, manifest information
required to be provided under subsection (a) or (b) shall be transmitted
electronically by the appropriate official specified in subsection (d) to an
immigration officer.
(f) PROHIBITION- No operator of any private or public carrier that is under a
duty to provide manifest information under this section shall be granted
clearance papers until the appropriate official specified in subsection (d) has
complied with the requirements of this subsection, except that, in the case of
commercial vessels or aircraft that the Attorney General determines are making regular
trips to the United States, the Attorney General may, when expedient, arrange
for the provision of manifest informa tion of persons departing the United
States at a later date.
(g) PENALTIES AGAINST NONCOMPLYING SHIPMENTS, AIRCRAFT,
OR CARRIERS- If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Attorney General
that an appropriate official specified in subsection (d), any public or private
carrier, or the agent of any transportation line, as the case may be, has
refused or failed to provide manifest information required by subsection (a) or
(b), or that the manifest information provided is not accurate and full based
on information provided to the carrier, such official, carrier, or a gent, as
the case may be, shall pay to the Commissioner the sum of $1,000 for each
person with respect to whom such accurate and full manifest information is not
provided, or with respect to whom the manifest information is not prepared as
prescribed by this section or by regulations issued pursuant thereto. No
commercial vessel or aircraft shall be granted clearance pending determination
of the question of the liability to the payment of such penalty, or while it
remains unpaid, and no such penalty shall b e remitted or refunded, except that
clearance may be granted prior to the determination of such question upon the
deposit with the Commissioner of a bond or undertaking approved by the Attorney
General or a sum sufficient to cover such penalty.
(h) WAIVER- The Attorney General may waive the requirements of subsection (a) or
(b) upon such circumstances and conditions as the Attorney General may by
regulation prescribe.
(i) UNITED STATES BORDER OFFICER DEFINED- In this section, the term 'United
States border officer' means, with respect to a particular port of entry into the
United States, any United States official who is performing duties at that port
of entry.
(j) RECORD OF CITIZEN AND RESIDENT ALIENS LEAVING PERMANENTLY FOR FOREIGN
COUNTRIES.--The Attorney General may authorize immigration officers to record
the following information regarding every resident person leaving the United
States by way of the Canadian or Mexican borders for permanent residence in a
foreign country: Names, age, and sex; whether married or single; calling or
occupation; whether able to read or write; nationality; country of birth;
country of which citizen or subject; race; last permane nt residence in the
United States; intended future permanent residence; and time and port of last
arrival in the United States; and if a United States citizen or national, the
facts on which claim to that status is based.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 231
FN 1 Section 402(a) of the
Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, dated May 14, 2002,
amended section 231 by sticking subsections (a), (b), (d), and (e),
redesignating subsection (e) as (j), and by adding new subsections (a) through
(i).
(b) EXTENSION TO LAND CARRIERS-
(1) STUDY- The President shall conduct a study regarding the feasibility of
extending the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of section 231 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1221), as amended by subsection (a), to any commercial carrier
transporting persons by land to or from the United States. The study shall
focus on the manner in which such requirement would be implemented to enhance
the national security of the United States and the efficient cross-border flow
of commerce and persons.
(2) REPORT- Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act,
the President shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the findings of
the study conducted under paragraph (1).
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with
respect to persons arriving in, or departing from, the United States on or
after the date of enactment of this Act (May 14, 2002).
FN 2 Section 115(b) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and
State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, Public Law
107-77, dated November 28, 2001, amended section 231(b) in its entirety.
FN 3 Section 115(c) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and
State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002, Public Law
107-77, dated November 28, 2001, amended section 231(d).
INA: ACT 232 - DETENTION OF ALIENS FOR PHYSICAL
AND MENTAL EXAMINAITON 1/
Sec. 232 [8 U.S.C. 1252]
(a) Detention of Aliens.-For the purpose of determining
whether aliens (including alien crewmen) arriving at ports of the United States
belong to any of the classes inadmissible under this Act, by reason of being
afflicted with any of the diseases or mental or physical defects or
disabilities set forth in section 212(a), or whenever the Attorney General has
received information showing that any aliens are coming from a country or have
embarked at a place where any of such diseases are prevalent or epidemic, such
aliens shall be detained by the Attorney General for a sufficient time to
enable the immigration officers and medical officers to subject such aliens to
observation and an examination sufficient to determine whether or not they
belong to inadmissible classes.
(b) Physical and Mental Examination. 2/ - The physical and mental examination of
arriving aliens (including alien crewmen) shall be made by medical officers of
the United States Public Health Service, who shall conduct all medical
examinations and shall certify, for the information of the immigration officers
and the immigration judges, any physical and mental defect or disease observed
by such medical officers in any such alien. If medical officers of the United
States Public Health Service are not available, civil surgeons of not less than
four years' professional experience may be employed for such service upon such
terms as may be prescribed by the Attorney General. Aliens (including alien
crewmen) arriving at ports of the United States shall be examined by at least
one such medical officer or civil surgeon under such administrative regulations
as the Attorney General may prescribe, and under medical regulations prepared
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Medical officers of the United
States Public Health Service who have had special training in the diagnosis of
insanity and mental defects shall be detailed for duty or employed at such
ports of entry as the Attorney General may designate, and such medical officers
shall be provided with suitable facilities for the detention and examination of
all arriving aliens who it is suspected may be inadmissible under paragraph (1)
of section 212(a) , and the services of interpreters shall be
provided for such examination. Any alien certified under paragraph (1) of
section 212(a) may appeal to a board of medical officers of
the United States Public Health Service, which shall be convened by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, and any such alien may introduce before
such board one expert medical witness at his own cost and expense.
(c) Certification of Certain Helpless Aliens.-If an
examining medical officer determines that an alien arriving in the United
States is inadmissible, is helpless from sickness, mental or physical
disability, or infancy, and is accompanied by another alien whose protection or
guardianship may be required, the officer may certify such fact for purposes of
applying section 212(a)(10)(B)with respect to the other alien.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 232
INA: ACT 233 - ENTRY THROUGH OR FROM FOREIGN
TERRITORY AND ADJACENT ISLANDS; LANDING STATIONS
Sec. 233. 1/ [8 U.S.C. 1228]
(a) The Attorney General shall have power to enter into
contracts with transportation lines for the inspection and admission of aliens
coming to the United States from foreign territory or from adjacent islands. No
such transportation line shall be allowed to land any such alien in the United
States until and unless it has entered into any such contracts which may be
required by the Attorney General.
(b) Every transportation line engaged in carrying alien
passengers for hire to the United States from foreign territory or from
adjacent islands shall provide and maintain at its expense suitable landing
stations, approved by the Attorney General, conveniently located at the point
or points of entry. No such transportation line shall be allowed to land any
alien passengers in the United States until such landing stations are provided,
and unless such stations are thereafter maintained to the satisf action of the
Attorney General.
(c) The Attorney General shall have power to enter into
contracts including bonding agreements with transportation lines to guarantee
the passage through the United States in immediate and continuous transit of
aliens destined to foreign countries. Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Act, such aliens may not have their classification changed under
section 248 .
(d) As used in this section the terms
"transportation line" and "transportation company" include,
but are not limited to, the owner, charterer, consignee, or authorized agent
operating any vessel or aircraft or railroad train bringing aliens to the
United States, to foreign territory, or to adjacent islands.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 233
INA: ACT 234 - DESIGNATION OF PORTS OF ENTRY
FOR ALIENS ARRIVING BY CIVIL AIRCRAFT
Sec. 234 . [8 U.S.C. 1229] The Attorney General is authorized
(1) by regulation to designate as ports of entry for
aliens arriving by aircraft any of the ports of entry for civil aircraft
designated as such in accordance with law;
(2) by regulation to provide such reasonable
requirements for aircraft in civil air navigation with respect to giving notice
of intention to land in advance of landing, or notice of landing, as shall be
deemed necessary for purposes of administration and enforcement of this Act;
and
(3) by regulation to provide for the application to
civil air navigation of the provisions of this Act where not expressly so
provided in this Act to such extent and upon such conditions as he deems
necessary. Any person who violates any regulation made under this section shall
be subject to a civil penalty of $2,000 which may be remitted or mitigated by
the Attorney General in accordance with such proceedings as the Attorney
General shall by regulation prescribe. In case the violation is by the own er
or person in command of the aircraft, the penalty shall be a lien upon the
aircraft, and such aircraft may be libeled therefor in the appropriate United
States court. The determination by the Attorney General and remission or
mitigation of the civil penalty shall be final. In case the violation is by the
owner or person in command of the aircraft, the penalty shall be a lien upon
the aircraft and may be collected by proceedings in rem which shall conform as
nearly as may be to civil suits in adm iralty. The Supreme Court of the United
States, and under its direction other courts of the United States, are
authorized to prescribe rules regulating such proceedings against aircraft in
any particular not otherwise provided by law. Any aircraft made subject to a
lien by this section may be summarily seized by, and placed in the custody of
such persons as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe. The aircraft
may be released from such custody upon deposit of such amount not exceeding
$2,00 0 as the Attorney General may prescribe, or of a bond in such sum and
with such sureties as the Attorney General may prescribe, conditioned upon the
payment of the penalty which may be finally determined by the Attorney General.
INA: ACT 235 - INSPECTION BY IMMIGRATION
OFFICERS; EXPEDITED REMOVAL OF INADMISSIBLE ARRIVING ALIENS; REFERRAL FOR
HEARING
Sec. 235. 1/ (a)
Inspection.-
(1) Aliens treated as applicants for admission.-An alien
present in the United States who has not been admitted, or who arrives in the
United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival and including an
alien who is brought to the United States after having been interdicted in
international or United States waters) shall be deemed for purposes of this Act
an applicant for admission.
(2) Stowaways.-An arriving alien who is a stowaway is
not eligible to apply for admission or to be admitted and shall be ordered
removed upon inspection by an immigration officer. Upon such inspection if the
alien indicates an intention to apply for asylum under section 208 or a fear of persecution, the officer shall
refer the alien for an interview under subsection (b)(1)(B). A stowaway may
apply for asylum only if the stowaway is found to have a credible fear of
persecution under subsection (b)(1)(B). In no case may a stowaway be considered
an applicant for admission or eligible for a hearing under section 240 .
(3) Inspection.-All aliens (including alien crewmen) who
are applicants for admission or otherwise seeking admission or readmission to
or transit through the United States shall be inspected by immigration
officers.
(4) Withdrawal of application for admission.-An alien
applying for admission may, in the discretion of the Attorney General and at
any time, be permitted to withdraw the application for admission and depart
immediately from the United States.
(5) Statements.-An applicant for admission may be
required to state under oath any information sought by an immigration officer
regarding the purposes and intentions of the applicant in seeking admission to
the United States, including the applicant's intended length of stay and
whether the applicant intends to remain permanently or become a United States
citizen, and whether the applicant is inadmissible.
(b) 2/ Inspection of Applicants for Admission.-
(1) Inspection of aliens arriving in the United States
and certain other aliens who have not been admitted or paroled.-
(i) In general.-If an immigration officer determines
that an alien (other than an alien described in subparagraph (F)) who is
arriving in the United States or is described in clause (iii) is inadmissible
under section 212(a)(6)(C) or 212(a)(7) , the officer shall order the alien removed
from the United States without further hearing or review unless the alien
indicates either an intention to apply for asylum under section 208 or a fear
of persecution.
(ii) Claims for asylum.-If an immigration officer
determines that an alien (other than an alien described in subparagraph (F))
who is arriving in the United States or is described in clause (iii) is
inadmissible under section 212(a)(6)(C) or 212(a)(7) and the alien indicates
either an intention to apply for asylum under section 208 or a fear of persecution,
the officer shall refer the alien for an interview by an asylum officer under
subparagraph (B).
(iii) Application to certain other aliens.-
(I) In general.-The Attorney General may apply clauses
(i) and (ii) of this subparagraph to any or all aliens described in subclause
(II) as designated by the Attorney General. Such designation shall be in the
sole and unreviewable discretion of the Attorney General and may be modified at
any time.
(II) Aliens described.-An alien described in this clause is an alien who is not
described in subparagraph (F), who has not been admitted or paroled into the
United States, and who has not affirmatively shown, to the satisfaction of an
immigration officer, that the alien has been physically present in the United
States continuously for the 2- year period immediately prior to the date of the
determination of inadmissibility under this subparagraph.
(i) Conduct by asylum officers.-An asylum officer shall
conduct interviews of aliens referred under subparagraph (A)(ii), either at a
port of entry or at such other place designated by the Attorney General.
(ii) Referral of certain aliens.-If the officer
determines at the time of the interview that an alien has a credible fear of
persecution (within the meaning of clause (v)), the alien shall be detained for
further consideration of the application for asylum.
(iii) Removal without further review if no credible fear
of persecution.-
(I) In general.-Subject to subclause (III), if the officer
determines that an alien does not have a credible fear of persecution, the
officer shall order the alien removed from the United States without further
hearing or review.
(II) Record of determination.-The officer shall prepare
a written record of a determination under subclause (I). Such record shall
include a summary of the material facts as stated by the applicant, such
additional facts (if any) relied upon by the officer, and the officer's
analysis of why, in light of such facts, the alien has not established a
credible fear of persecution. A copy of the officer's interview notes shall be
attached to the written summary.
(III) Review of determination.-The Attorney General
shall provide by regulation and upon the alien's request for prompt review by
an immigration judge of a determination under subclause (I) that the alien does
not have a credible fear of persecution. Such review shall include an
opportunity for the alien to be heard and questioned by the immigration judge,
either in person or by telephonic or video connection. Review shall be
concluded as expeditiously as possible, to the maximum extent pract icable
within 24 hours, but in no case later than 7 days after the date of the
determination under subclause (I).
(IV) Mandatory Detention.-Any alien subject to the
procedures under this clause shall be detained pending a final determination of
credible fear of persecution and, if found not to have such a fear, until
removed.
(iv) Information about interviews.-The Attorney General
shall provide information concerning the asylum interview described in this
subparagraph to aliens who may be eligible. An alien who is eligible for such
interview may consult with a person or persons of the alien's choosing prior to
the interview or any review thereof, according to regulations prescribed by the
Attorney General. Such consultation shall be at no expense to the Government
and shall not unreasonably delay the process.
(v) Credible fear of persecution defined.-For purposes
of this subparagraph, the term "credible fear of persecution" means
that there is a significant possibility, taking into account the credibility of
the statements made by the alien in support of the alien's claim and such other
facts as are known to the officer, that the alien could establish eligibility
for asylum under section 208.
(C) Limitation on administrative review.-Except as
provided in subparagraph (B)(iii)(III), a removal order entered in accordance
with subparagraph (A)(i) or (B)(iii)(I) is not subject to administrative
appeal, except that the Attorney General shall provide by regulation for prompt
review of such an order under subparagraph (A)(i) against an alien who claims
under oath, or as permitted under penalty of perjury under section 1746 of
title 28, United States Code, after having been warned of the penal ties for
falsely making such claim under such conditions, to have been lawfully admitted
for permanent residence, to have been admitted as a refugee under section 207 , or to have been granted asylum under
section 208 .
(D) Limit on collateral attacks.-In any action brought
against an alien under section 275(a) or section 276, the court shall not have
jurisdiction to hear any claim attacking the validity of an order of removal
entered under subparagraph (A)(i) or (B)(iii).
(E) Asylum officer defined.-As used in this paragraph,
the term "asylum officer" means an immigration officer who-
(i) has had professional training in country conditions,
asylum law, and interview techniques comparable to that provided to full-time
adjudicators of applications under section 208, and
(ii) is supervised by an officer who meets the condition
described in clause (i) and has had substantial experience adjudicating asylum
applications.
(F) Exception.-Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an
alien who is a native or citizen of a country in the Western Hemisphere with
whose government the United States does not have full diplomatic relations and
who arrives by aircraft at a port of entry.
(G) 3/ COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS-
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize or require any
person described in section 208(e) to be permitted to apply for asylum under
section 208 at any time before January 1, 2014.
(2) Inspection of other aliens.-
(A) In general.-Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), in
the case of an alien who is an applicant for admission, if the examining
immigration officer determines that an alien seeking admission is not clearly
and beyond a doubt entitled to be admitted, the alien shall be detained for a
proceeding under section 240.
(B) Exception.-Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to an
alien-
(ii) to whom paragraph (1) applies, or
(C) Treatment of aliens arriving from contiguous
territory.-In the case of an alien described in subparagraph (A) who is
arriving on land (whether or not at a designated port of arrival) from a
foreign territory contiguous to the United States, the Attorney General may
return the alien to that territory pending a proceeding under section 240 .
(3) Challenge of decision.-The decision of the examining
immigration officer, if favorable to the admission of any alien, shall be
subject to challenge by any other immigration officer and such challenge shall
operate to take the alien whose privilege to be admitted is so challenged,
before an immigration judge for a proceeding under section 240 .
(c) Removal of Aliens Inadmissible on Security and
Related Grounds.-
(1) Removal without further hearing.-If an immigration
officer or an immigration judge suspects that an arriving alien may be
inadmissible under subparagraph (A) (other than clause (ii)), (B), or (C) of
section 212(a)(3) , the officer or judge shall-
(A) order the alien removed, subject to review under
paragraph (2);
(B) report the order of removal to the Attorney General;
and
(C) not conduct any further inquiry or hearing until
ordered by the Attorney General.
(2) Review of order.-(A) The
Attorney General shall review orders issued under paragraph (1).
(B) If the Attorney General-
(i) is satisfied on the basis of confidential
information that the alien is inadmissible under subparagraph (A) (other than
clause (ii)), (B), or (C) of section 212(a)(3), and
(ii) after consulting with appropriate security agencies
of the United States Government, concludes that disclosure of the information
would be prejudicial to the public interest, safety, or security, the Attorney
General may order the alien removed without further inquiry or hearing by an
immigration judge.
(C) If the Attorney General does not order the removal
of the alien under subparagraph (B), the Attorney General shall specify the
further inquiry or hearing that shall be conducted in the case.
(3) Submission of statement and information.-The alien
or the alien's representative may submit a written statement and additional
information for consideration by the Attorney General.
(d) Authority Relating to Inspections.-
(1) Authority to search conveyances.-Immigration
officers are authorized to board and search any vessel, aircraft, railway car,
or other conveyance or vehicle in which they believe aliens are being brought
into the United States.
(2) Authority to order detention and delivery of
arriving aliens.-Immigration officers are authorized to order an owner, agent,
master, commanding officer, person in charge, purser, or consignee of a vessel
or aircraft bringing an alien (except an alien crewmember) to the United
States-
(A) to detain the alien on the vessel or at the airport
of arrival, and
(B) to deliver the alien to an immigration officer for
inspection or to a medical officer for examination.
(3) Administration of oath and consideration of
evidence.-The Attorney General and any immigration officer shall have power to
administer oaths and to take and consider evidence of or from any person
touching the privilege of any alien or person he believes or suspects to be an
alien to enter, reenter, transit through, or reside in the United States or
concerning any matter which is material and relevant to the enforcement of this
Act and the administration of the Service.
(4) Subpoena authority.-(A) The
Attorney General and any immigration officer shall have power to require by
subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses before immigration officers
and the production of books, papers, and documents relating to the privilege of
any person to enter, reenter, reside in, or pass through the United States or
concerning any matter which is material and relevant to the enforcement of this
Act and the administration of the Service, and to that end may invoke the aid
of any court of the United States.
(B) Any United States district court within the
jurisdiction of which investigations or inquiries are being conducted by an
immigration officer may, in the event of neglect or refusal to respond to a
subpoena issued under this paragraph or refusal to testify before an
immigration officer, issue an order requiring such persons to appear before an
immigration officer, produce books, papers, and documents if demanded, and
testify, and any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by the
court as a contempt thereof.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 235
FN 1 R evised and rewritten in its entirety
by § 302 of
IIRIRA .
Note: All references to "special inquiry officer" in former Sec. 235
were changed to "immigration judge" after section
was stricken by rewrite. Former section 235 remains in effect during transition
period (until April 1, 1997). New section 235 added by § 302 of
IIRIRA .
FN 3 Section 702(j)(5) of Public Law 110-229, added paragraph (G) to
section 235(b)(1) of the Act.
Effective Date: Amendments to the
Immigration and Nationality Act The amendments to the Immigration and
Nationality Act made by this subtitle, and other provisions of this subtitle
applying the immigration laws (as defined in section 101(a)(17) of Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17)))
to the Commonwealth, shall take effect on the transition program effective date
described in section 6 of Public Law 94-241 (as added by section 702(a) ), unless specifically provided otherwise
in this subtitle.
INA: ACT 235A - PREINSPECTION AT FOREIGN
AIRPORTS 1/
Sec. 235A. (a) Establishment of Preinspection
Stations.-
(1) New Stations.-Subject to paragraph (5), not later than October 31, 1998,
the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall
establish and maintain preinspection stations in at least 5 of the foreign
airports that are among the 10 foreign airports which the Attorney General
identifies as serving as last points of departure for the greatest numbers of
inadmissible alien passengers who arrive from abroad by air at ports of entry
within the United States. Such preinspection sta tions shall be in addition to
any preinspection stations established prior to the date of the enactment of
such Act.
(2) Report.-Not later than October 31, 1998, the Attorney General shall report
to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and of the
Senate on the implementation of paragraph (1).
(3) Data Collection.-Not later than November 1, 1997, and each subsequent
November 1, the Attorney General shall compile data identifying-
(A) the foreign airports which served as last points of departure for aliens
who arrived by air at United States ports of entry without valid documentation
during the preceding fiscal years;
(B) the number and nationality of such aliens arriving from each such foreign
airport; and
(C) the primary routes such aliens followed from their country of origin to the
United States.
(4) 3/ Subject to paragraph (5), not later than
January 1, 2008, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, shall establish preinspection stations in at least 25
additional foreign airports, which the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, determines, based on the data
compiled under paragraph (3) and such other information as may be available,
would most effectively facilitate the travel of admissible aliens and reduce
the number of inad missible aliens, especially aliens who are potential
terrorists, who arrive from abroad by air at points of entry within the United
States. Such preinspection stations shall be in addition to those established
before September 30, 1996, or pursuant to paragraph (1).
(5) Conditions.-Prior to the establishment of a preinspection station the
Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall ensure
that-
(A) employees of the United States stationed at the preinspection station, and
their accompanying family members will receive appropriate protection;
(B) such employees and their families will not be subject to unreasonable risks
to their welfare and safety; and
(C) the country in which the preinspection station is to be established
maintains practices and procedures with respect to asylum seekers and refugees
in accordance with the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (done at
Geneva, July 28, 1951), or the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees
(done at New York, January 31, 1967) or that an alien in the country otherwise
has recourse to avenues of protection from return to persecution.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF CARRIER CONSULTANT PROGRAM AND
IMMIGRATION SECURITY INITIATIVE 2/ . _The Secretary of Homeland
Security 2/ shall assign additional immigration officers to
assist air carriers in the detection of fraudulent documents at foreign
airports which, based on the records maintained pursuant to subsection (a)(3),
served as a point of departure for a significant number of arrivals at United
States ports of entry without valid documentation, but where no preinspection
station exists. 2/ Beginning not later than December 31, 2006, the
number of airports selected for an assignment under this subsection shall be at
least 50.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 235A
FN 2 Section 7206(a) made several technical amendments to section
235A(b).
Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out the amendments made by section
7206(a) --
(1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
(3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
FN 3 Section 7210(d)(1) of Public Law 108-458, amended section 235A by
revising subparagraph (a)(4).
(2) REPORT- Not later than June 30, 2006, the Secretary of Homeland Security
and the Secretary of State shall submit a report on the progress being made in
implementing the amendment made by section 7210(d)(1) to--
(A) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on International Relations of the House of
Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
and
(F) the Select Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives
(or any successor committee).
INA: ACT 236 - APPREHENSION AND DETENTION OF
ALIENS
Sec. 236. 1/ (a) Arrest,
Detention, and Release.-On a warrant issued by the Attorney General, an alien
may be arrested and detained pending a decision on whether the alien is to be
removed from the United States. Except as provided in subsection (c) and
pending such decision, the Attorney General-
(1) may continue to detain the arrested alien; and
(2) may release the alien on-
(A) bond of at least $1,500 with security approved by,
and containing conditions prescribed by, the Attorney General; or
(B) conditional parole; but
(3) may not provide the alien with work authorization
(including an "employment authorized" endorsement or other
appropriate work permit), unless the alien is lawfully admitted for permanent
residence or otherwise would (without regard to removal proceedings) be
provided such authorization.
(b) Revocation of Bond or Parole.-The Attorney General
at any time may revoke a bond or parole authorized under subsection (a),
rearrest the alien under the original warrant, and detain the alien.
(c) Detention of Criminal Aliens.-
(1) Custody.-The Attorney General shall take into
custody any alien who-
(A) is inadmissible by reason of having committed any
offense covered in section 212(a)(2) ,
(B) is deportable by reason of having committed any
offense covered in section 237(a)(2)(A)(ii) , (A)(iii), (B), (C), or (D),
(C) is deportable under section 237(a)(2)(A)(i) on the basis of an offense for which the alien
has been sentence 2/ to a term of imprisonment of at least 1 year,
or
(D) is inadmissible under section 212(a)(3)(B) or deportable under section 237(a)(4)(B) , when the alien is released, without regard to
whether the alien is released on parole, supervised release, or probation, and
without regard to whether the alien may be arrested or imprisoned again for the
same offense.
(2) Release.-The Attorney General may release an alien
described in paragraph (1) only if the Attorney General decides pursuant to
section 3521 of title 18, United States Code, that release of the alien from
custody is necessary to provide protection to a witness, a potential witness, a
person cooperating with an investigation into major criminal activity, or an
immediate family member or close associate of a witness, potential witness, or
person cooperating with such an investigation, and the alien satisfies the
Attorney General that the alien will not pose a danger to the safety of other
persons or of property and is likely to appear for any scheduled proceeding. A
decision relating to such release shall take place in accordance with a
procedure that considers the severity of the offense committed by the
alien.
(d) Identification of criminal aliens.- (1) The Attorney General shall devise and implement a
system-
(A) to make available, daily (on a 24-hour basis), to
Federal, State, and local authorities the investigative resources of the
Service to determine whether individuals arrested by such authorities for
aggravated felonies are aliens;
(B) to designate and train officers and employees of the
Service to serve as a liaison to Federal, State, and local law enforcement and
correctional agencies and courts with respect to the arrest, conviction, and
release of any alien charged with an aggravated felony; and
(C) which uses computer resources to maintain a current
record of aliens who have been convicted of an aggravated felony, and indicates
those who have been removed.
(2) The record under paragraph (1)(C) shall be made
available-
(A) to inspectors at ports of entry and to border patrol
agents at sector headquarters for purposes of immediate identification of any
alien who was previously removed and is seeking to reenter the United States,
and
(B) to officials of the Department of State for use in
its automated visa lookout system.
(3) Upon request of the governor or chief executive
officer of any State, the Service shall provide assistance to State courts in
the identification of aliens unlawfully present in the United States pending
criminal prosecution.
(e) Judicial Review.-The Attorney General's
discretionary judgment regarding the application of this section shall not be
subject to review. No court may set aside any action or decision by the
Attorney General under this section regarding the detention or release of any
alien or the grant, revocation, or denial of bond or parole.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 236
FN 1 Former section 236 of INA deleted by §303 of IIRIRA . Section
303(b)(2) of IIRIRA provides the Attorney General with an optional
delay of the effective date of the custody provisions of this section if the
Attorney General notifies in writing the Committees on the Judiciary of the
House and Senate regarding custody space and personnel deficiencies.
On October 9, 1996, the Commissioner so notified the committees. Section
303(b)(3) provides for transition for aliens regarding mandatory custody.
INA: ACT 236A-- MANDATORY
DETENTION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS; HABEAS CORPUS; JUDICIAL REVIEW 1/
SEC. 236A. (a) DETENTION OF TERRORIST ALIENS-
(1) CUSTODY- The Attorney General shall take into custody any alien who is
certified under paragraph (3).
(2) RELEASE- Except as provided in paragraphs (5) and (6), the Attorney General
shall maintain custody of such an alien until the alien is removed from the
United States. Except as provided in paragraph (6), such custody shall be
maintained irrespective of any relief from removal for which the alien may be
eligible, or any relief from removal granted the alien, until the Attorney
General determines that the alien is no longer an alien who may be certified
under paragraph (3). If the alien is finally determi ned not to be removable,
detention pursuant to this subsection shall terminate.
(3) CERTIFICATION- The Attorney General may certify an alien under this
paragraph if the Attorney General has reasonable grounds to believe that the
alien--
(B) is engaged in any other activity that endangers the national security of
the United States.
(4) NONDELEGATION- The Attorney General may delegate the authority provided
under paragraph (3) only to the Deputy Attorney General. The Deputy Attorney
General may not delegate such authority.
(5) COMMENCEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS- The Attorney General shall place an alien
detained under paragraph (1) in removal proceedings, or shall charge the alien
with a criminal offense, not later than 7 days after the commencement of such
detention. If the requirement of the preceding sentence is not satisfied, the
Attorney General shall release the alien.
(6) LIMITATION ON INDEFINITE DETENTION- An alien detained solely under
paragraph (1) who has not been removed under section 241(a)(1)(A) , and whose removal is unlikely in the
reasonably foreseeable future, may be detained for additional periods of up to
six months only if the release of the alien will threaten the national security
of the United States or the safety of the community or any person.
(7) REVIEW OF CERTIFICATION- The Attorney General shall review the
certification made under paragraph (3) every 6 months. If the Attorney General
determines, in the Attorney General's discretion, that the certification should
be revoked, the alien may be released on such conditions as the Attorney
General deems appropriate, unless such release is otherwise prohibited by law.
The alien may request each 6 months in writing that the Attorney General
reconsider the certification and may submit documents or othe r evidence in
support of that request.
(b) HABEAS CORPUS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW-
(1) IN GENERAL- Judicial review of any action or decision relating to this
section (including judicial review of the merits of a determination made under
subsection (a)(3) or (a)(6)) is available exclusively in habeas corpus
proceedings consistent with this subsection. Except as provided in the
preceding sentence, no court shall have jurisdiction to review, by habeas
corpus petition or otherwise, any such action or decision.
(2) APPLICATION-
(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including section
2241(a) of title 28, United States Code, habeas corpus proceedings described in
paragraph (1) may be initiated only by an application filed with--
(i) the Supreme Court;
(ii) any justice of the Supreme Court;
(iii) any circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District
of Columbia Circuit; or
(iv) any district court otherwise having jurisdiction to entertain it.
(B) APPLICATION TRANSFER- Section 2241(b) of title 28, United States Code,
shall apply to an application for a writ of habeas corpus described in
subparagraph (A).
(3) APPEALS- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including section 2253
of title 28, in habeas corpus proceedings described in paragraph (1) before a
circuit or district judge, the final order shall be subject to review, on
appeal, by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit. There shall be no right of appeal in such proceedings to any other
circuit court of appeals.
(4) RULE OF DECISION- The law applied by the Supreme Court and the United
States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit shall be regarded
as the rule of decision in habeas corpus proceedings described in paragraph
(1).
(c) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION- The provisions of this section shall not be
applicable to any other provision of this Act.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 236A
FN 1 Section 236A was added by section 412(a) of the USA Patriot Act, Public Law 107-56,
dated October 26, 2001. Section 412(c) of Public Law 107-56 provides the reporting
requirements to the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
INA: ACT 237 - GENERAL CLASSES OF DEPORTABLE
ALIENS
Sec. 237 1/ [8 U.S.C. 1227]
(a) Classes of Deportable Aliens.-Any alien (including
an alien crewman) in and admitted to the United States shall, upon the order of
the Attorney General, be removed if the alien is within one or more of the
following classes of deportable aliens:
(1) Inadmissible at time of entry or of adjustment of
status or violates status.-
(A) Inadmissible aliens.-Any alien who at the time of
entry or adjustment of status was within one or more of the classes of aliens
inadmissible by the law existing at such time is deportable.
(B) 2/ Present in violation of law.-Any alien who is
present in the United States in violation of this Act or any other law of
the 2b/ United States, or whose nonimmigrant visa (or
other documentation authorizing admission into the United States as a
nonimmigrant) has been revoked under section 221(i) , is deportable.
(C) Violated nonimmigrant status or condition of entry.-
(i) Nonimmigrant status violators.-Any alien who was
admitted as a nonimmigrant and who has failed to maintain the nonimmigrant
status in which the alien was admitted or to which it was changed under
section 248 , or to comply with the conditions of any such
status, is deportable.
(ii) Violators of conditions of entry.-Any alien whom
the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies has failed to comply with
terms, conditions, and controls that were imposed under section 212(g) is deportable.
(D) Termination of conditional permanent residence.-
(i) In general.-Any alien with permanent resident status
on a conditional basis under section 216 (relating to conditional permanent resident
status for certain alien spouses and sons and daughters) or under section 216A (relating to conditional permanent resident
status for certain alien entrepreneurs, spouses, and children) who has had such
status terminated under such respective section is deportable.
(ii) Exception.-Clause (i) shall not apply in the cases
described in section 216(c)(4) (relating to certain hardship waivers).
(i) In general.-Any alien who (prior to the date of
entry, at the time of any entry, or within 5 years of the date of any entry)
knowingly has encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided any other alien
to enter or to try to enter the United States in violation of law is
deportable.
(ii) Special rule in the case of family
reunification.-Clause (i) shall not apply in the case of alien who is an
eligible immigrant (as defined in section 301(b)(1) of the Immigration Act of
1990), was physically present in the United States on May 5, 1988, and is
seeking admission as an immediate relative or under section 203(a)(2)
(including under section 112 of the Immigration Act of 1990) or benefits under
section 301(a) of the Immigration Act of 1990 if the alien, before May 5, 1988,
has en couraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided only the alien's spouse,
parent, son, or daughter (and no other individual) to enter the United States
in violation of law.
(iii) Waiver authorized.-The Attorney General may, in
his discretion for humanitarian purposes, to assure family unity, or when it is
otherwise in the public interest, waive application of clause (i) in the case
of any alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if the alien has
encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided only an individual who at the
time of the offense was 3/ the alien's spouse, parent, son, or daughter
(and no other individual) to enter the United States in violation of law. 4/
(G) Marriage fraud.-An alien shall be considered to be
deportable as having procured a visa or other documentation by fraud (within
the meaning of section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) ) and to be in the United States in violation
of this Act (within the meaning of subparagraph (B)) if-
(i) the alien obtains any admission into the United
States with an immigrant visa or other documentation procured on the basis of a
marriage entered into less than 2 years prior to such entry of the alien and
which, within 2 years subsequent to any admission of the alien in the United
States, shall be judicially annulled or terminated, unless the alien
establishes to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that such marriage was
not contracted for the purpose of evading any provisions of the imm igration
laws, or
(ii) it appears to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General that the alien has failed or refused to fulfill the alien's marital
agreement which in the opinion of the Attorney General was made for the purpose
of procuring the alien's admission as an immigrant.
(H) WAIVER AUTHORIZED FOR CERTAIN MISREPRESENTATIONS.
-- The provisions of this paragraph relating to the removal of aliens within
the United States on the ground that they were inadmissible at the time of
admission as aliens described in section 212(a)(6)(C)(i), whether willful or
innocent, may, in the discretion of the Attorney General, be waived for any
alien (other than an alien described in paragraph (4)(D)) who-
(i) 5a/ (I) is the spouse, parent, son, or daughter of
a citizen of the United States or of an alien lawfully admitted to the United
States for permanent residence; and
(II) 5a/ was in possession of an immigrant visa or
equivalent document and was otherwise admissible to the United States at the
time of such admission except for those grounds of inadmissibility specified
under paragraphs (5)(A) and (7)(A) of section 212(a) which were a direct result
of that fraud or misrepresentation.
(ii) 5a/ 5aa/ is a VAWA self-petitioner.
A waiver of removal for fraud or misrepresentation granted under this
subparagraph shall also operate to waive removal based on the grounds of
inadmissibility directly resulting from such fraud or misrepresentation.
(i) Crimes of moral turpitude.-Any alien who-
(I) is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude committed within five
years (or 10 years in the case of an alien provided lawful permanent resident
status under section 245(j) ) after the date of admission, and
(II) is convicted of a crime for which a sentence of one year or longer may be
imposed.
is deportable
(ii) Multiple criminal convictions.-Any alien who at any
time after admission is convicted of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude,
not arising out of a single scheme of criminal misconduct, regardless of
whether confined therefor and regardless of whether the convictions were in a
single trial, is deportable.
(iii) Aggravated felony.-Any alien who is convicted of
an aggravated felony at any time after admission is deportable.
(iv) High Speed Flight.-Any alien who is convicted of a
violation of section 758 of title 18, United States Code, (relating to high
speed flight from an immigration checkpoint) is deportable.
(v) 5b/ FAILURE TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER- Any
alien who is convicted under section 2250 of title 18, United States Code, is
deportable.
(vi) 5b/ Waiver authorized.-Clauses (i), (ii), (iii),
and (iv) shall not apply in the case of an alien with respect to a criminal conviction
if the alien subsequent to the criminal conviction has been granted a full and
unconditional pardon by the President of the United States or by the Governor
of any of the several States.
(B) Controlled substances.-
(i) Conviction.-Any alien who at any time after
admission has been convicted of a violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to
violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign
country relating to a controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), other than a single offense involving
possession for one's own use of 30 grams or less of marijuana, is deportable.
(ii) Drug abusers and addicts.-Any alien who is, or at
any time after admission has been, a drug abuser or addict is deportable.
(C) Certain firearm offenses.-Any alien who at any time
after admission is convicted under any law of purchasing, selling, offering for
sale, exchanging, using, owning, possessing, or carrying, or of attempting or conspiring
to purchase, sell, offer for sale, exchange, use, own, possess, or carry, any
weapon, part, or accessory which is a firearm or destructive device (as defined
in section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code) in violation of any law is
deportable.
(D) Miscellaneous crimes.-Any alien who at any time has
been convicted (the judgment on such conviction becoming final) of, or has been
so convicted of a conspiracy or attempt to violate-
(i) any offense under chapter 37 (relating to
espionage), chapter 105 (relating to sabotage), or chapter 115 (relating to
treason and sedition) of title 18, United States Code, for which a term of
imprisonment of five or more years may be imposed;
(ii) any offense under section 871 or 960 of title 18,
United States Code;
(iii) a violation of any provision of the Military
Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.) or the Trading With the
Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. App. 1 et seq.); or
(iv) a violation of section 215 or 278 of this Act, is deportable.
(E) 6/ Crimes of Domestic violence, stalking, or
violation of protection order, crimes against children and.-
(i) Domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse.-Any
alien who at any time after admission is convicted of a crime of domestic
violence, a crime of stalking, or a crime of child abuse, child neglect, or
child abandonment is deportable. For purposes of this clause, the term
"crime of domestic violence" means any crime of violence (as defined
in section 16 of title 18, United States Code) against a person committed by a
current or former spouse of the person, by an individual with whom the person
shares a child in common, by an individual who is cohabiting with or has cohabited
with the person as a spouse, by an individual similarly situated to a spouse of
the person under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction where
the offense occurs, or by any other individual against a person who is
protected from that individual's acts under the domestic or family violence
laws of the United States or any State, Indian tribal government, or unit of
local government.
(ii) Violators of protection orders.-Any alien who at
any time after entry is enjoined under a protection order issued by a court and
whom the court determines has engaged in conduct that violates the portion of a
protection order that involves protection against credible threats of violence,
repeated harassment, or bodily injury to the person or persons for whom the
protection order was issued is deportable. For purposes of this clause, the
term "protection order" means any injunction issued fo r the purpose
of preventing violent or threatening acts of domestic violence, including
temporary or final orders issued by civil or criminal courts (other than
support or child custody orders or provisions) whether obtained by filing an
independent action or as a pendente lite order in another proceeding.
(F) 13/ TRAFFICKING- Any alien described in
section 212(a)(2)(H) is deportable.
(3) Failure to register and falsification of
documents.-
(A) Change of address.-An alien who has failed to comply
with the provisions of section 265 is deportable, unless the alien establishes
to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that such failure was reasonably
excusable or was not willful.
(B) Failure to register or falsification of documents.-
Any alien who at any time has been convicted-
(i) under section 266(c) of this Act or under section
36(c) of the Alien Registration Act, 1940,
(ii) of a violation of, or an attempt or a conspiracy to
violate, any provision of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (22
U.S.C. 611 et seq.), or
(iii) of a violation of, or an attempt or a conspiracy
to violate, section 1546 of title 18, United States Code (relating to fraud and
misuse of visas, permits, and other entry documents), is deportable.
(i) In general.-An alien who is the subject of a final
order for violation of section 274C is deportable.
(ii) Waiver authorized.-The Attorney General may waive
clause (i) in the case of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if
no previous civil money penalty was imposed against the alien under
section 274C and the offense was incurred solely to assist,
aid, or support the alien's spouse or child (and not another individual). No
court shall have jurisdiction to review a decision of the Attorney General to
grant or deny a waiver under this clause.
(D) 8/ FALSELY CLAIMING CITIZENSHIP-
(i) IN GENERAL- Any alien who falsely represents, or has
falsely represented, himself to be a citizen of the United States for any
purpose or benefit under this Act (including section 274A ) or any Federal or State law is deportable.
(ii) EXCEPTION- In the case of an alien making a
representation described in clause (i), if each natural parent of the alien
(or, in the case of an adopted alien, each adoptive parent of the alien) is or
was a citizen (whether by birth or naturalization), the alien permanently
resided in the United States prior to attaining the age of 16, and the alien
reasonably believed at the time of making such representation that he or she
was a citizen, the alien shall not be considered to be deportable under any
prov ision of this subsection based on such representation.
(4) Security and related grounds.-
(A) In general.-Any alien who has engaged, is engaged,
or at any time after admission engages in-
(i) any activity to violate any law of the United States
relating to espionage or sabotage or to violate or evade any law prohibiting
the export from the United States of goods, technology, or sensitive
information,
(ii) any other criminal activity which endangers public
safety or national security, or
(iii) any activity a purpose of which is the opposition
to, or the control or overthrow of, the Government of the United States by
force, violence, or other unlawful means, is deportable.
(B) 8a/ 11/ TERRORIST ACTIVITIES- Any alien who is
described in subparagraph (B) or (F) of section 212(a)(3) is deportable.
(i) In general.-An alien whose presence or activities in
the United States the Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe would
have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United
States is deportable.
(ii) Exceptions.-The exceptions described in clauses
(ii) and (iii) of section 212(a)(3)(C) shall apply to deportability under clause (i)
in the same manner as they apply to inadmissibility under section 212(a)(3)(C)(i) .
(D) 8c/ PARTICIPATED IN NAZI PERSECUTION, GENOCIDE, OR
THE COMMISSION OF ANY ACT OF TORTURE OR EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING.-Any alien
described in 8c/ clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of section 212(a)(3)(E) is deportable.
(E) 8d/ PARTICIPATED IN THE COMMISSION OF SEVERE
VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM- Any alien described in section 212(a)(2)(G) is deportable.
(F) 8e/ RECRUITMENT OR USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS- Any alien
who has engaged in the recruitment or use of child soldiers in violation of
section 2442 of title 18, United States Code, is deportable.
(5) Public charge.-Any alien who, within five years
after the date of entry; has become a public charge from causes not
affirmatively shown to have arisen since entry is deportable.
(A) IN GENERAL- Any alien who has voted in violation of any Federal, State, or
local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance, or regulation is
deportable.
(B) EXCEPTION- In the case of an alien who voted in a Federal, State, or local
election (including an initiative, recall, or referendum) in violation of a lawful
restriction of voting to citizens, if each natural parent of the alien (or, in
the case of an adopted alien, each adoptive parent of the alien) is or was a
citizen (whether by birth or naturalization), the alien permanently resided in
the United States prior to attaining the age of 16, and the alien reasonably
believed at the time of such violation that he or she was a citizen, the alien
shall not be considered to be deportable under any provision of this subsection
based on such violation.
(7) 9a/ WAIVER FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-
(A) IN GENERAL- The Attorney General is not limited by the criminal court
record and may waive the application of paragraph (2)(E)(i) (with respect to
crimes of domestic violence and crimes of stalking) and (ii) in the case of an
alien who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty and who is not and
was not the primary perpetrator of violence in the relationship--
(i) upon a determination that--
(I) the alien was acting is self-defense;
(II) the alien was found to have violated a protection order intended to
protect the alien; or
(III) the alien committed, was arrested for, was convicted of, or pled guilty
to committing a crime--
(aa) that did not result in serious bodily injury; and
(bb) where there was a connection between the crime and the alien's having been
battered or subjected to extreme cruelty.
(B) CREDIBLE EVIDENCE CONSIDERED- In acting on applications under this
paragraph, the Attorney General shall consider any credible evidence relevant
to the application. The determination of what evidence is credible and the
weight to be given that evidence shall be within the sole discretion of the
Attorney General.
(b) An alien, admitted as an nonimmigrant under the
provisions of either section 101(a)(15)(A)(i) or 101(a)(15)(G)(i) , and who fails to maintain a status under
either of those provisions, shall not be required to depart from the United
States without the approval of the Secretary of State, unless such alien is
subject to deportation under paragraph (4) of subsection (a).
(c) Paragraphs (1)(A), (1)(B), (1)(C), (1)(D), and
(3)(A) of subsection (a) (other than so much of paragraph (1) as relates to a ground
of inadmissibility described in paragraph (2) or (3) of section 212(a)) shall
not apply to a special immigrant described in section 101(a)(27)(J) based upon
circumstances that existed before the date the alien was provided such special
immigrant status.
(d) (1) 10/ , 12/ If the Secretary of Homeland
Security determines that an application for nonimmigrant status under
subparagraph (T) or (U) of section 101(a)(15) filed for an alien in the
United States sets forth a prima facie case for approval, the Secretary may
grant the alien an administrative stay of a final order of removal under
section 241(c)(2) until--
(A) the application for
nonimmigrant status under such subparagraph (T) or (U) is approved; or
(B) there is a final administrative denial of
the application for such nonimmigrant status after the exhaustion of
administrative appeals.
(2) The denial of a request for an
administrative stay of removal under this subsection shall not preclude the
alien from applying for a stay of removal, deferred action, or a continuance or
abeyance of removal proceedings under any other provision of the immigration
laws of the United States.
(3) During any period in which the
administrative stay of removal is in effect, the alien shall not be removed.
(4) Nothing in this subsection may be construed
to limit the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney
General to grant a stay of removal or deportation in any case not described in
this subsection.
INA: ACT 238 - EXPEDITED REMOVAL OF ALIENS
CONVICTED OF COMMITTING AGGRAVATED FELONIES
Sec. 238 1/ [8 U.S.C. 1228]
(a) Removal of Criminal Aliens.-
(1) In general.-The Attorney General shall provide for
the availability of special removal proceedings at certain Federal, State, and
local correctional facilities for aliens convicted of any criminal offense covered
in section 241 2/ (a)(2)(A)(iii), (B), (C), or (D), or any
offense covered by section 241 3/ (a)(2)(A)(ii) for which both predicate offenses
are, without regard to the date of their commission, otherwise covered by
section 241 4/ (a)(2)(A)(i). 5/ Such proceedings shall be conducted in
conformity with section 240 (except as otherwise provided in this section), and
in a manner which eliminates the need for additional detention at any
processing center of the Service and in a manner which assures expeditious
removal following the end of the alien's incarceration for the underlying
sentence. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create any substantive
or procedural right or benefit that is legally enforceable by any party against
the U nited States or its agencies or officers or any other person.
(2) Implementation.-With respect to an alien convicted
of an 6/ any criminal offense covered in section 241(a)(2) (A)(iii) , (B) , (C) , or (D) , or any offense covered by section 241(a)(2) (A)(ii)for which both predicate offenses are
covered by section 241(a)(2) (A)(i) who is taken into custody by the
Attorney General pursuant to section 236(c) , the Attorney General shall, to the maximum
extent practicable, detain any such felon at a facility at which other such
aliens are detained. In the selection of such facility, the Attorney General
shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the alien's access to counsel and
right to counsel under section 292 are not impaired.
(3) Expedited proceedings.-
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Attorney General shall provide for the initiation and, to the extent possible,
the completion of removal proceedings, and any administrative appeals thereof,
in the case of any alien convicted of an aggravated felony before the alien's
release from incarceration for the underlying aggravated felony.
(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed as
requiring the Attorney General to effect the removal of any alien sentenced to
actual incarceration, before release from the penitentiary or correctional
institution where such alien is confined.
(A) The Attorney General shall review and evaluate
removal proceedings conducted under this section.
(B) The Comptroller General shall monitor, review, and
evaluate removal proceedings conducted under this section. Within 18 months
after the effective date of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit
a report to such Committees concerning the extent to which removal proceedings
conducted under this section may adversely affect the ability of such aliens to
contest removal effectively.
(b) Removal of Aliens Who Are Not Permanent Residents.-
(1) The Attorney General may, in the case of an alien
described in paragraph (2), determine the deportability of such alien under
section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) (relating to conviction of an aggravated
felony) and issue an order of removal pursuant to the procedures set forth in
this subsection or section 240 .
(2) An alien is described in this paragraph if the
alien-
(A) was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence at
the time at which proceedings under this section commenced; or
(B) had permanent resident status on a conditional basis
(as described in section 216) at the time that proceedings under this section
commenced.
(3) The Attorney General may not execute any order
described in paragraph (1) until 14 calendar days have passed from the date
that such order was issued, unless waived by the alien, in order that the alien
has an opportunity to apply for judicial review under section 242.
(4) Proceedings before the Attorney General under this
subsection shall be in accordance with such regulations as the Attorney General
shall prescribe. The Attorney General shall provide that-
(A) the alien is given reasonable notice of the charges
and of the opportunity described in subparagraph (C);
(B) the alien shall have the privilege of being
represented (at no expense to the government) by such counsel, authorized to
practice in such proceedings, as the alien shall choose;
(C) the alien has a reasonable opportunity to inspect
the evidence and rebut the charges;
(D) 7/ a determination is made for the record that the
individual upon whom the notice for the proceeding under this section is served
(either in person or by mail) is, in fact, the alien named in such notice;
(E) a record is maintained for judicial review; and
(F) the final order of removal is not adjudicated by the
same person who issues the charges.
(5) No alien described in this section shall be eligible
for any relief from removal that the Attorney General may grant in the Attorney
General's discretion.
(c) Presumption of Deportability.-An alien convicted of
an aggravated felony shall be conclusively presumed to be deportable from the
United States.
(c) 8/ Judicial Removal.-
(1) Authority.-Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Act, a United States district court shall have jurisdiction to enter a
judicial order of removal at the time of sentencing against an alien who is
deportable, 9/ if such an order has been requested by the
United States Attorney with the concurrence of the Commissioner and if the
court chooses to exercise such jurisdiction.
(A) The United States Attorney shall file with the
United States district court, and serve upon the defendant and the Service,
prior to commencement of the trial or entry of a guilty plea a notice of intent
to request judicial removal.
(B) Notwithstanding section 242B , the United States Attorney, with the
concurrence of the Commissioner, shall file at least 30 days prior to the date
set for sentencing a charge containing factual allegations regarding the
alienage of the defendant and identifying the crime or crimes which make the
defendant deportable under section 241(a)(2) (A).
(C) If the court determines that the defendant has
presented substantial evidence to establish prima facie eligibility for relief
from removal under this Act, the Commissioner shall provide the court with a
recommendation and report regarding the alien's eligibility for relief. The
court shall either grant or deny the relief sought.
(D) (i) The alien shall have
a reasonable opportunity to examine the evidence against him or her, to present
evidence on his or her own behalf, and to cross-examine witnesses presented by
the Government.
(ii) The court, for the purposes of determining whether
to enter an order described in paragraph (1), shall only consider evidence that
would be admissible in proceedings conducted pursuant to section 240.
(iii) Nothing in this subsection shall limit the
information a court of the United States may receive or consider for the
purposes of imposing an appropriate sentence.
(iv) The court may order the alien deported if the
Attorney General demonstrates that the alien is deportable under this Act.
(3) Notice, Appeal, and Execution of Judicial Order of
Removal.-
(A) (i) A judicial order of
removal or denial of such order may be appealed by either party to the court of
appeals for the circuit in which the district court is located.
(ii) Except as provided in clause (iii), such appeal
shall be considered consistent with the requirements described in section 242 .
(iii) Upon execution by the defendant of a valid waiver
of the right to appeal the conviction on which the order of removal is based,
the expiration of the period described in section 242(b)(1), or the final
dismissal of an appeal from such conviction, the order of removal shall become
final and shall be executed at the end of the prison term in accordance with
the terms of the order. If the conviction is reversed on direct appeal, the
order entered pursuant to this section shall be void.
(B) As soon as is practicable after entry of a judicial
order of removal, the Commissioner shall provide the defendant with written
notice of the order of removal, which shall designate the defendant's country
of choice for removal and any alternate country pursuant to section 243(a) .
(4) Denial of Judicial Order.-Denial 10/ of a request for a judicial order of removal
shall not preclude the Attorney General from initiating removal proceedings
pursuant to section 240 upon the same ground of deportability or upon
any other ground of deportability provided under section 241(a) .
(5) Stipulated judicial order of deportation.-The United
States Attorney, with the concurrence of the Commissioner, may, pursuant to
Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11, enter into a plea agreement which calls
for the alien, who is deportable under this Act, to waive the right to notice
and a hearing under this section, and stipulate to the entry of a judicial
order of deportation from the United States as a condition of the plea
agreement or as a condition of probation or supervised release, or b oth. The
United States district court, in both felony and misdemeanor cases, and a
United States magistrate judge in misdemeanor cases, may accept such a
stipulation and shall have jurisdiction to enter a judicial order of
deportation pursuant to the terms of such stipulation.
INA: ACT 239 - INITIATION OF REMOVAL
PROCEEDINGS
Sec. 239. 1/ (a) Notice to
Appear.-
(1) In general.-In removal proceedings under
section 240 , written notice (in this section referred to
as a "notice to appear") shall be given in person to the alien (or,
if personal service is not practicable, through service by mail to the alien or
to the alien's counsel of record, if any) specifying the following:
(A) The nature of the proceedings against the alien.
(B) The legal authority under which the proceedings are
conducted.
(C) The acts or conduct alleged to be in violation of
law.
(D) The charges against the alien and the statutory
provisions alleged to have been violated.
(E) The alien may be represented by counsel and the
alien will be provided (i) a period of time to secure counsel under subsection
(b)(1) and (ii) a current list of counsel prepared under subsection (b)(2).
(F) (i) The requirement that
the alien must immediately provide (or have provided) the Attorney General with
a written record of an address and telephone number (if any) at which the alien
may be contacted respecting proceedings under section 240 .
(ii) The requirement that the alien must provide the
Attorney General immediately with a written record of any change of the alien's
address or telephone number.
(iii) The consequences under section 240(b)(5) of failure to provide address and telephone
information pursuant to this subparagraph.
(G) (i) The time and place
at which the proceedings will be held.
(ii) The consequences under section 240(b)(5) of the
failure, except under exceptional circumstances, to appear at such
proceedings.
(2) Notice of change in time or place of
proceedings.-
(A) In general.-In removal proceedings under section
240, in the case of any change or postponement in the time and place of such
proceedings, subject to subparagraph (B) a written notice shall be given in
person to the alien (or, if personal service is not practicable, through
service by mail to the alien or to the alien's counsel of record, if any)
specifying-
(i) the new time or place of the proceedings, and
(ii) the consequences under section 240(b)(5) of
failing, except under exceptional circumstances, to attend such proceedings.
(B) Exception.-In the case of an alien not in detention,
a written notice shall not be required under this paragraph if the alien has
failed to provide the address required under paragraph (1)(F).
(3) Central address files.-The Attorney General shall
create a system to record and preserve on a timely basis notices of addresses
and telephone numbers (and changes) provided under paragraph (1)(F).
(b) Securing of Counsel.-
(1) In general.-In order that an alien be permitted the
opportunity to secure counsel before the first hearing date in proceedings
under section 240, the hearing date shall not be scheduled earlier than 10 days
after the service of the notice to appear, unless the alien requests in writing
an earlier hearing date.
(2) Current lists of counsel.-The Attorney General shall
provide for lists (updated not less often than quarterly) of persons who have
indicated their availability to represent pro bono aliens in proceedings under
section 240. Such lists shall be provided under subsection (a)(1)(E) and
otherwise made generally available.
(3) Rule of construction.-Nothing in this subsection may
be construed to prevent the Attorney General from proceeding against an alien
pursuant to section 240 if the time period described in paragraph (1) has
elapsed and the alien has failed to secure counsel.
(c) Service by Mail.-Service by mail under this section
shall be sufficient if there is proof of attempted delivery to the last address
provided by the alien in accordance with subsection (a)(1)(F).
(d) Prompt Initiation of Removal.-(1) In the case of an
alien who is convicted of an offense which makes the alien deportable, the
Attorney General shall begin any removal proceeding as expeditiously as
possible after the date of the conviction.
(2) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
create any substantive or procedural right or benefit that is legally
enforceable by any party against the United States or its agencies or officers
or any other person.
(e) 2/ Certification of Compliance With Restrictions
on Disclosure-
(1) IN GENERAL- In cases where an enforcement action leading to a removal
proceeding was taken against an alien at any of the locations specified in
paragraph (2), the Notice to Appear shall include a statement that the
provisions of section 384 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1367) have been complied with.
(2) LOCATIONS- The locations specified in this paragraph
are as follows:
(A) At a domestic violence shelter, a rape crisis center, supervised visitation
center, family justice center, a victim services, or victim services provider,
or a community-based organization.
(B) At a courthouse (or in connection with that appearance of the alien at a
courthouse) if the alien is appearing in connection with a protection order
case, child custody case, or other civil or criminal case relating to domestic
violence, sexual assault, trafficking, or stalking in which the alien has been
battered or subject to extreme cruelty or if the alien is described in
subparagraph (T) or (U) 3/ of section 101(a)(15) .
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 239
FN 2 Section 825(c)(1) of Public Law 109-162, dated January 5, 2006, amended
section 239 of the Immigration and Nationality Act by adding paragraph (e).
Effective Date : The amendment made by section 825(c)(1) of Public Law 109-162 shall take effect on the
date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act which is
February 4, 2006, and shall apply to apprehensions occurring on or after such
date.
FN 3 Section 6(d) of Public Law 109-271, dated August 12, 2006,
amended section 239(e)(2)(B) of the Act.
INA: ACT 240 - REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS
Sec. 240. 1/ (a)
Proceeding.-
(1) In general.-An immigration judge shall conduct
proceedings for deciding the inadmissibility or deportability of an alien.
(2) Charges.-An alien placed in proceedings under this
section may be charged with any applicable ground of inadmissibility under
section 212(a) or any applicable ground of deportability under
section 237(a) .
(3) Exclusive procedures.-Unless otherwise specified in
this Act, a proceeding under this section shall be the sole and exclusive
procedure for determining whether an alien may be admitted to the United States
or, if the alien has been so admitted, removed from the United States. Nothing
in this section shall affect proceedings conducted pursuant to section
238.
(b) Conduct of Proceeding.-
(1) Authority of immigration judge.-The immigration
judge shall administer oaths, receive evidence, and interrogate, examine, and
cross-examine the alien and any witnesses. The immigration judge may issue
subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and presentation of evidence. The
immigration judge shall have authority (under regulations prescribed by the
Attorney General) to sanction by civil money penalty any action (or inaction) in
contempt of the judge's proper exercise of authority under this Act.
(A) In general.-The proceeding may take place-
(ii) where agreed to by the parties, in the absence of
the alien,
(iii) through video conference, or
(iv) subject to subparagraph (B), through telephone
conference.
(B) Consent required in certain cases.-An evidentiary
hearing on the merits may only be conducted through a telephone conference with
the consent of the alien involved after the alien has been advised of the right
to proceed in person or through video conference.
(3) Presence of alien.-If it is impracticable by reason
of an alien's mental incompetency for the alien to be present at the
proceeding, the Attorney General shall prescribe safeguards to protect the
rights and privileges of the alien.
(4) Aliens rights in proceeding.-In proceedings under
this section, under regulations of the Attorney General-
(A) the alien shall have the privilege of being
represented, at no expense to the Government, by counsel of the alien's
choosing who is authorized to practice in such proceedings,
(B) the alien shall have a reasonable opportunity to
examine the evidence against the alien, to present evidence on the alien's own
behalf, and to cross-examine witnesses presented by the Government but these
rights shall not entitle the alien to examine such national security
information as the Government may proffer in opposition to the alien's
admission to the United States or to an application by the alien for
discretionary relief under this Act, and
(C) a complete record shall be kept of all testimony and
evidence produced at the proceeding.
(5) Consequences of failure to appear.-
(A) In general.-Any alien who, after written notice
required under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 239(a) has been provided to the alien or the alien's
counsel of record, does not attend a proceeding under this section, shall be
ordered removed in absentia if the Service establishes by clear, unequivocal,
and convincing evidence that the written notice was so provided and that the
alien is removable (as defined in subsection (e)(2)). The written notice by the
Attorney General shall be considered sufficient for purposes of this
subparagraph if provided at the most recent address provided under sectio
n 239(a)(1)(F) .
(B) No notice if failure to provide address
information.- No written notice shall be required under subparagraph (A) if the
alien has failed to provide the address required under section 239(a)(1)(F) .
(C) Rescission of order.-Such an order may be rescinded
only-
(i) upon a motion to reopen filed within 180 days after
the date of the order of removal if the alien demonstrates that the failure to
appear was because of exceptional circumstances (as defined in subsection
(e)(1)), or
(ii) upon a motion to reopen filed at any time if the
alien demonstrates that the alien did not receive notice in accordance with
paragraph (1) or (2) of section 239(a) or the alien demonstrates that the alien
was in Federal or State custody and the failure to appear was through no fault
of the alien.
The filing of the motion to reopen described in clause (i) or (ii) shall stay
the removal of the alien pending disposition of the motion by the immigration
judge.
(D) Effect on judicial review.-Any petition for review
under section 242 of an order entered in absentia under this
paragraph shall (except in cases described in section 242(b)(5) ) be confined to (i) the validity of the notice
provided to the alien, (ii) the reasons for the alien's not attending the
proceeding, and (iii) whether or not the alien is removable.
(E) Additional application to certain aliens in
contiguous territory.-The preceding provisions of this paragraph shall apply to
all aliens placed in proceedings under this section, including any alien who
remains in a contiguous foreign territory pursuant to section 235(b)(2)(C).
(6) Treatment of frivolous behavior.-The Attorney
General shall, by regulation-
(A) define in a proceeding before an immigration judge
or before an appellate administrative body under this title, frivolous behavior
for which attorneys may be sanctioned,
(B) specify the circumstances under which an
administrative appeal of a decision or ruling will be considered frivolous and
will be summarily dismissed, and
(C) impose appropriate sanctions (which may include
suspension and disbarment) in the case of frivolous behavior.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as limiting the authority of the
Attorney General to take actions with respect to inappropriate behavior.
(7) Limitation on discretionary relief for failure to
appear.- Any alien against whom a final order of removal is entered in absentia
under this subsection and who, at the time of the notice described in paragraph
(1) or (2) of section 239(a) , was provided oral notice, either in the
alien's native language or in another language the alien understands, of the
time and place of the proceedings and of the consequences under this paragraph
of failing, other than because of exceptional circumstances (as defined in
subsection (e)(1)) to attend a proceeding under this section, shall not be
eligible for relief under section 240A , 240B , 245 , 248 , or 249 for a period of 10 years after the date of the
entry of the final order of removal.
(c) Decision and Burden of Proof.-
(A) In general.-At the conclusion of the proceeding the
immigration judge shall decide whether an alien is removable from the United
States. The determination of the immigration judge shall be based only on the
evidence produced at the hearing.
(B) Certain medical decisions.-If a medical officer or
civil surgeon or board of medical officers has certified under section 232(b) that an alien has a disease, illness, or
addiction which would make the alien inadmissible under paragraph (1) of
section 212(a) , the decision of the immigration judge shall
be based solely upon such certification.
(2) Burden on alien.-In the proceeding the alien has the
burden of establishing-
(A) if the alien is an applicant for admission, that the
alien is clearly and beyond doubt entitled to be admitted and is not
inadmissible under section 212; or
(B) by clear and convincing evidence, that the alien is
lawfully present in the United States pursuant to a prior admission.
In meeting the burden of proof under subparagraph (B), the alien shall have
access to the alien's visa or other entry document, if any, and any other
records and documents, not considered by the Attorney General to be
confidential, pertaining to the alien's admission or presence in the United
States.
(3) Burden on service in cases of deportable aliens.-
(A) In general.-In the proceeding the Service has the
burden of establishing by clear and convincing evidence that, in the case of an
alien who has been admitted to the United States, the alien is deportable. No
decision on deportability shall be valid unless it is based upon reasonable,
substantial, and probative evidence.
(B) Proof of convictions.-In any proceeding under this
Act, any of the following documents or records (or a certified copy of such an
official document or record) shall constitute proof of a criminal conviction:
(i) An official record of judgment and conviction.
(ii) An official record of plea, verdict, and sentence.
(iii) A docket entry from court records that indicates
the existence of the conviction.
(iv) Official minutes of a court proceeding or a
transcript of a court hearing in which the court takes notice of the existence
of the conviction.
(v) An abstract of a record of conviction prepared by
the court in which the conviction was entered, or by a State official
associated with the State's repository of criminal justice records, that
indicates the charge or section of law violated, the disposition of the case,
the existence and date of conviction, and the sentence.
(vi) Any document or record prepared by, or under the
direction of, the court in which the conviction was entered that indicates the
existence of a conviction.
(vii) Any document or record attesting to the conviction
that is maintained by an official of a State or Federal penal institution,
which is the basis for that institution's authority to assume custody of the
individual named in the record.
(C) Electronic records.-In any proceeding under this
Act, any record of conviction or abstract that has been submitted by electronic
means to the Service from a State or court shall be admissible as evidence to
prove a criminal conviction if it is-
(i) certified by a State official associated with the
State's repository of criminal justice records as an official record from its
repository or by a court official from the court in which the conviction was
entered as an official record from its repository, and
(ii) certified in writing by a Service official as
having been received electronically from the State's record repository or the
court's record repository.
A certification under clause (i) may be by means of a computer-generated
signature and statement of authenticity.
(4) 3/ APPLICATIONS FOR RELIEF FROM REMOVAL-
(A) IN GENERAL- An alien applying for relief or
protection from removal has the burden of proof to establish that the alien--
(i) satisfies the applicable eligibility requirements;
and
(ii) with respect to any form of relief that is granted in the exercise of
discretion, that the alien merits a favorable exercise of discretion.
(B) SUSTAINING BURDEN- The applicant must comply with
the applicable requirements to submit information or documentation in support
of the applicant's application for relief or protection as provided by law or
by regulation or in the instructions for the application form. In evaluating
the testimony of the applicant or other witness in support of the application,
the immigration judge will determine whether or not the testimony is credible,
is persuasive, and refers to specific facts sufficient to demonstra te that the
applicant has satisfied the applicant's burden of proof. In determining whether
the applicant has met such burden, the immigration judge shall weigh the
credible testimony along with other evidence of record. Where the immigration
judge determines that the applicant should provide evidence which corroborates
otherwise credible testimony, such evidence must be provided unless the
applicant demonstrates that the applicant does not have the evidence and cannot
reasonably obtain the evidence.
(C) CREDIBILITY DETERMINATION- Considering the totality of the circumstances,
and all relevant factors, the immigration judge may base a credibility
determination on the demeanor, candor, or responsiveness of the applicant or
witness, the inherent plausibility of the applicant's or witness's account, the
consistency between the applicant's or witness's written and oral statements
(whenever made and whether or not under oath, and considering the circumstances
under which the statements were made), the intern al consistency of each such
statement, the consistency of such statements with other evidence of record (including
the reports of the Department of State on country conditions), and any
inaccuracies or falsehoods in such statements, without regard to whether an
inconsistency, inaccuracy, or falsehood goes to the heart of the applicant's
claim, or any other relevant factor. There is no presumption of credibility,
however, if no adverse credibility determination is explicitly made, the
applicant or witness sh all have a rebuttable presumption of credibility on
appeal.
(5) 3/ Notice.-If the immigration judge decides that
the alien is removable and orders the alien to be removed, the judge shall
inform the alien of the right to appeal that decision and of the consequences
for failure to depart under the order of removal, including civil and criminal
penalties.
(6) 3/ Motions to reconsider.-
(A) In general.-The alien may file one motion to
reconsider a decision that the alien is removable from the United States.
(B) Deadline.-The motion must be filed within 30 days of
the date of entry of a final administrative order of removal.
(C) Contents.-The motion shall specify the errors of law
or fact in the previous order and shall be supported by pertinent
authority.
(7) 3/ Motions to reopen.-
(A) In general.-An alien may file one motion to
reopen proceedings under this section , 3a/ except that this limitation shall not apply so
as to prevent the filing of one motion to reopen described in subparagraph
(C)(iv) .
(B) Contents.-The motion to reopen shall state the
new facts that will be proven at a hearing to be held if the motion is granted,
and shall be supported by affidavits or other evidentiary material.
(i) In general.-Except as provided in this
subparagraph, the motion to reopen shall be filed within 90 days of the date of
entry of a final administrative order of removal.
(ii) Asylum.-There is no time limit on the filing
of a motion to reopen if the basis of the motion is to apply for relief under
sections 208 or 241(b)(3) and is based on changed country conditions
arising in the country of nationality or the country to which removal has been
ordered, if such evidence is material and was not available and would not have
been discovered or presented at the previous proceeding.
(iii) Failure to appear.-The filing of a motion to
reopen an order entered pursuant to subsection (b)(5) is subject to the
deadline specified in subparagraph (C) of such subsection.
(iv) 2/ SPECIAL RULE FOR BATTERED 3a/ SPOUSES, CHILDREN, AND PARENTS - 3a/ Any limitation under this section on the
deadlines for filing such motions shall not apply' --
(I) if the basis for the motion is to apply for relief under clause (iii)
or (iv) of section 204(a)(1)(A) , clause (ii) or (iii) of section
204(a)(1)(B), 3a/ , section 240A(b) , or section 244(a)(3) (as in effect on March 31, 1997) ;
(II) if the motion is accompanied by a cancellation of removal application
to be filed with the Attorney General or by a copy of the self-petition that
has been or will be filed with the Immigration and Naturalization Service upon
the granting of the motion to reopen; 3a/
(III) if the motion to reopen is filed within 1 year of the entry of the
final order of removal, except that the Attorney General may, in the Attorney
General's discretion, waive this time limitation in the case of an alien who
demonstrates extraordinary circumstances or extreme hardship to the alien's
child; and 3a/
(IV) 3a/ if the alien is physically present in the
United States at the time of filing the motion.
The filing of a motion to reopen under this clause shall only stay the removal
of a qualified alien (as defined in section 431(c)(1)(B) of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C.
1641(c)(1)(B))) pending the final disposition of the motion, including
exhaustion of all appeals if the motion establishes that the alien is a
qualified alien.
INA: ACT 240A - CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL;
ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS
Sec. 240A. 1/ (a)
Cancellation of Removal for Certain Permanent Residents.-The Attorney General
may cancel removal in the case of an alien who is inadmissible or deportable
from the United States if the alien-
(1) has been an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence for not less than 5 years,
(2) has resided in the United States continuously for 7
years after having been admitted in any status, and
(3) has not been convicted of any aggravated
felony.
(b) CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL AND ADJUSTMENT OF
STATUS FOR CERTAIN NONPERMANENT RESIDENTS.-
(1) IN GENERAL.-The Attorney General 2/ may cancel removal of, and adjust to the status
of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, an alien who is
inadmissible or deportable from the United States if the alien-
(A) has been physically present in the United States for
a continuous period of not less than 10 years immediately preceding the date of
such application;
(B) has been a person of good moral character during
such period;
(C) has not been convicted of an offense under
section 212(a)(2), 237(a)(2) , or 237(a)(3) , subject to paragraph (5) 2a/ 5/ ; and
(D) establishes that removal would result in exceptional
and extremely unusual hardship to the alien's spouse, parent, or child, who is
a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence.
(2) 2/ SPECIAL RULE FOR BATTERED SPOUSE OR CHILD-
(A) AUTHORITY- The Attorney General may cancel
removal of, and adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for
permanent residence, an alien who is inadmissible or deportable from the United
States if the alien demonstrates that-
(i) (I) the alien has
been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent who is or
was a United States citizen (or is the parent of a child of a United States
citizen and the child has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by such
citizen parent);
(II) the alien has been battered or subjected to
extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent who is or was a lawful permanent resident
(or is the parent of a child of an alien who is or was a lawful permanent
resident and the child has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by
such permanent resident parent); or
(III) the alien has been battered or subjected to
extreme cruelty by a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident whom
the alien intended to marry, but whose marriage is not legitimate because of
that United States citizen's or lawful permanent resident's bigamy;
(ii) the alien has been physically present in the
United States for a continuous period of not less than 3 years immediately
preceding the date of such application, and the issuance of a charging document
for removal proceedings shall not toll the 3-year period of continuous physical
presence in the United States;
(iii) the alien has been a person of good moral
character during such period, subject to the provisions of subparagraph (C);
(iv) the alien is not inadmissible under paragraph
(2) or (3) of section 212(a) , is not deportable under paragraphs
(1)(G) or (2) through (4) of section 237(a) , 5/ , subject to paragraph (5) and has not
been convicted of an aggravated felony; and
(v) the removal would result in extreme hardship to
the alien, the alien's child, or the alien's parent.
(B) PHYSICAL PRESENCE- Notwithstanding subsection (d)(2), for purposes of
subparagraph (A)(ii) 6/ or for purposes of section 244(a)(3) (as in
effect before the title III-A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996), an alien shall
not be considered to have failed to maintain continuous physical presence by
reason of an absence if the alien demonstrates a connection between the absence
and the battering or extreme cruelty perpetrated against the alien. No absence
or portion of an absence connected to the battering or extreme cruelty shall co
unt toward the 90-day or 180-day limits established in subsection (d)(2). If
any absence or aggregate absences exceed 180 days, the absences or portions of
the absences will not be considered to break the period of continuous presence.
Any such period of time excluded from the 180-day limit shall be excluded in
computing the time during which the alien has been physically present for
purposes of the 3-year requirement set forth in section 240A(b)(2)(B) and section
244(a)(3) (as in effect before the title II I-A effective date in section 309
of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996).
(C) GOOD MORAL CHARACTER- Notwithstanding section 101(f) , an act or conviction that does not bar
the Attorney General from granting relief under this paragraph by reason of
subparagraph (A)(iv) shall not bar the Attorney General from finding the alien
to be of good moral character under subparagraph 6/ (A)(iii) or section 244(a)(3) (as in effect
before the title III-A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996), if the Attorney General finds
that the act or conviction was connected to the alien's having been battered or
subjected to extreme cruelty and determines that a waiver is otherwise
warranted.
(D) CREDIBLE EVIDENCE CONSIDERED- In acting on applications under this
paragraph, the Attorney General shall consider any credible evidence relevant
to the application. The determination of what evidence is credible and the
weight to be given that evidence shall be within the sole discretion of the
Attorney General.
(3) RECORDATION OF DATE. 3/ --With respect to aliens who the Attorney
General adjusts to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence under paragraph (1) or (2), the Attorney General shall record the
alien's lawful admission for permanent residence as of the date of the Attorney
General's cancellation of removal under paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) 3a/ CHILDREN OF BATTERED ALIENS AND PARENTS OF
BATTERED ALIEN CHILDREN-
(A) IN GENERAL- The Attorney General shall grant parole
under section 212(d)(5) to any alien who is a--
(i) child of an alien granted relief under section 240A(b)(2) or 244(a)(3) (as in effect before the title III-A effective
date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996); or
(ii) parent of a child alien granted relief under
section 240A(b)(2) or 244(a)(3) (as in effect before the title III-A effective
date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996).
(B) DURATION OF PAROLE- The grant of parole shall
extend from the time of the grant of relief under section 240A(b)(2) or section 244(a)(3) (as in effect before the
title III-A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996) to the time the application for
adjustment of status filed by aliens covered under this paragraph has been
finally adjudicated. Applications for adjustment of status filed by aliens
covered under this paragraph shall be treated as if the applicants were VAWA
self-petitioners. 5a/ Failure by the alien granted relief under
section 240A(b)(2) or section 244(a)(3) (as in effect before the
title III-A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996) to exercise due diligence in filing a
visa petition on behalf of an alien described in clause (i) or (ii) may result
in revocation of parole.
(5) 5/ APPLICATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAIVER
AUTHORITY- The authority provided under section 237(a)(7) may apply under paragraphs (1)(B), (1)(C), and
(2)(A)(iv) in a cancellation of removal and adjustment of status proceeding.
(6) 7/ RELATIVES OF TRAFFICKING
VICTIMS-
(A) IN GENERAL- Upon written request by a law
enforcement official, the Secretary of Homeland Security may parole under
section 212(d)(5) any alien who is a relative of an alien
granted continued presence under section 107(c)(3)(A) of t he Trafficking
Victims Protection Act (22 U.S.C. 7105(c)(3)(A)), if the relative--
(i) was, on the date on which law enforcement
applied for such continued presence--
(I) in the case of an alien granted continued
presence who is under 21 years of age, the spouse, child, parent, or unmarried
sibling under 18 years of age, of the alien; or
(II) in the case of an alien granted continued
presence who is 21 years of age or older, the spouse or child of the alien; or
(ii) is a parent or sibling of the alien who
the requesting law enforcement official, in consultation with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, as appropriate, determines to be in present danger of
retaliation as a result of the alien's escape from the severe form of
trafficking or cooperation with law enforcement, irrespective of age.
(B) DURATION OF PAROLE-
(i) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may extend the
parole granted under subparagraph (A) until the final adjudication of the
application filed by the principal alien under section 101(a)(15)(T)(ii) .
(ii) OTHER LIMITS ON DURATION- If an
application described in clause (i) is not filed, the parole granted under
subparagraph (A) may extend until the later of--
(I) the date on which the principal alien's
authority to remain in the United States under section 107(c)(3)(A) of the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act (22 U.S.C. 7105(c)(3)(A)) is terminated; or
(II) the date on which a civil action filed by
the principal alien under section 1595 of title 18, United States Code, is
concluded.
(iii) DUE DILIGENCE- Failure by the principal
alien to exercise due diligence in filing a visa petition on behalf of an alien
described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A), or in pursuing the civil
action described in clause (ii)(II) (as determined by the Secretary of Homeland
Security in consultation with the Attorney General), may result in revocation
of parole.
(C) OTHER LIMITATIONS- A relative may not be
granted parole under this paragraph if--
(i) the Secretary of Homeland Security or the
Attorney General has reason to believe that the relative was knowingly
complicit in the trafficking of an alien permitted to remain in the United
States under section 107(c)(3)(A) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (22
U.S.C. 7105(c)(3)(A)); or
(ii) the relative is an alien described in paragraph (2) or (3) of
section 212(a) or paragraph (2) or (4) of section 237(a) .
(c) Aliens Ineligible for Relief.-The provisions of
subsections (a) and (b)(1) shall not apply to any of the following aliens:
(1) An alien who entered the United States as a crewman
subsequent to June 30, 1964.
(2) An alien who was admitted to the United States as a
nonimmigrant exchange alien as defined in section 101(a)(15)(J), or has
acquired the status of such a nonimmigrant exchange alien after admission, in
order to receive graduate medical education or training, regardless of whether
or not the alien is subject to or has fulfilled the two-year foreign residence
requirement of section 212(e) .
(A) was admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant
exchange alien as defined in section 101(a)(15)(J) or has acquired the status
of such a nonimmigrant exchange alien after admission other than to receive
graduate medical education or training,
(B) is subject to the two-year foreign residence
requirement of section 212(e) , and
(C) has not fulfilled that requirement or received a
waiver thereof.
(4) An alien who is inadmissible under section 212(a)(3) or deportable under of section 237(a)(4) .
(6) An alien whose removal has previously been canceled
under this section or whose deportation was suspended under section 244(a) or who has been granted relief under
section 212(c) , as such sections were in effect before the
date of the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996.
(d) Special Rules Relating to Continuous Residence or
Physical Presence.-
(1) TERMINATION OF CONTINUOUS PERIOD.-- For
purposes of this section, any period of continuous residence or continuous physical
presence in the United States shall be deemed to end 3b/ (A) except in
the case of an alien who applies for cancellation of removal under subsection
(b)(2), when the alien is served a notice to appear under section 239(a) , or (B) when the
alien has committed an offense referred to in section 212(a)(2) that renders the alien inadmissible to the
United States under section 212(a)(2) or removable from the United States under
section 237(a)(2) or 237(a)(4) , whichever is earliest.
(2) Treatment of certain breaks in presence.-An alien
shall be considered to have failed to maintain continuous physical presence in
the United States under subsections (b)(1) and (b)(2) if the alien has departed
from the United States for any period in excess of 90 days or for any periods
in the aggregate exceeding 180 days.
(3) Continuity not required because of honorable service
in armed forces and presence upon entry into service.-The requirements of
continuous residence or continuous physical presence in the United States under
subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to an alien who-
(A) has served for a minimum period of 24 months in an
active-duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States and, if separated
from such service, was separated under honorable conditions, and
(B) at the time of the alien's enlistment or induction
was in the United States.
(e) ANNUAL LIMITATION. 4/ --
(1) AGGREGATE LIMITATION.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Attorney
General may not cancel the removal and adjust the status under this section,
nor suspend the deportation and adjust the status under section 244(a) (as in effect before the enactment of the
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996), of a
total of more than 4,000 aliens in any fiscal year. The previous sentence shall
apply regardless of when an alien applied for such cancellation and adjustment,
or such suspension and adjustment, and whether such an alien had previously
applied for suspension of deportation under such section 244(a) . The numerical limitation under this paragraph
shall apply to the aggregate number of decisions in any fiscal year to cancel
the removal (and adjust the status) of an alien, or suspend the deportation
(and adjust the status) of an alien, under this section or such section 244(a) .
(2) FISCAL YEAR 1997.--For fiscal year 1997, paragraph (1) shall only apply to
decisions to cancel the removal of an alien, or suspend the deportation of an
alien, made after April 1, 1997. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the Attorney General may cancel the removal or suspend the deportation, in
addition to the normal allotment for fiscal year 1998, of a number of aliens
equal to 4,000 less the number of such cancellations of removal and suspensions
of deportation granted in fiscal year 1997 a fter April 1, 1997.
(3) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN ALIENS.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the
following:
(A) Aliens described in section 309(c)(5)(C)(i) of the Illegal Immigration
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (as amended by the Nicaraguan
Adjustment and Central American Relief Act).
(B) Aliens in deportation proceedings prior to April 1, 1997, who applied for
suspension of deportation under section 244(a)(3) (as in effect before the date
of the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility
Act of 1996).
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 240A
FN 2 Section 240A(b)(1) and (2) amended by
section 204(b) of Public Law 105-100 dated November 19, 1997.
Section 1504(a) of Public Law 106-386, dated October 28, 2000,
amended section 240A(b)(2) in its entirety.
EFFECTIVE DATE- Any individual who becomes eligible for
relief by reason of the enactment of the amendments made by section 1504(a) and (b) of Public Law 106-386, shall be eligible to
file a motion to reopen pursuant to section 240(c)(6)(C)(iv). The amendments
made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect as if included in the
enactmentof section 304 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208;110 Stat. 587). Such portions of
the amendments made by subsection (b) that relate to section 244(a)(3) (as in
effect before the title III-A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996) shall take effect
as if included in subtitle G of title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-322; 108 Stat. 1953 et seq.).
FN 2a Language inserted by section 1505(b)(2) of Public Law 106-386, dated October 28, 2000.
FN 3a Section 1504(b) of Public Law 106-386, dated October 28, 2000,
added section 240(A)(b)(4).
EFFECTIVE DATE- Any individual who becomes eligible for
relief by reason of the enactment of the amendments made by sections 1504(a) and (b) of Public Law 106-386, shall be eligible to
file a motion to reopen pursuant to section 240(c)(6)(C)(iv). The amendments
made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect as if included in the
enactmentof section 304 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208;110 Stat. 587). Such portions of
the amendments made by subsection (b) that relate to section 244(a)(3) (as in
effect before the title III-A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act of 1996) shall take effect as if included in subtitle G of
title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public
Law 103-322; 108 Stat. 1953 et seq.).
FN 3b Language inserted by section 1506(b)(1) of Public Law 106-386, dated October 28, 2000.
EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by section 1506(b)(1) of Public Law 106-386, shall take effect as if
included in the enactment of section 304 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 110 Stat. 587).
FN 5 Section 813(c)(1)(A) , (B) , and (C) , of Public Law 109-162, dated January 5,
2006, amended section 240A(b)(1)(C), (2)(a)(iv), and added paragraph (5) to the
Immigration and Nationality Act.
FN 5a Section 6(e) of Public Law 109-271, dated August 12, 2006,
amended section 240(A)(b)(4)(B) of the Act.
FN 6 Section 822(a)(1) , of Public Law 109-162, dated January 5, 2006,
amended section 240A(b)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Could not
find the reference cited in section 822(a)(2) of Public Law 109-162 to make the
change.
Section 822(b) of Publ ic Law 109-162 amended section
240A(b)(2)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
FN 7 Section 205(b) of Public Law 110-457, dated December 23, 2008,
added paragraph (b)(6) to section 240A of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
INA: ACT 242 - JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ORDERS OF
REMOVAL
Sec. 242. 1/ (a) Applicable
provisions.-
(1) General orders of removal.-Judicial review of a
final order of removal (other than an order of removal without a hearing
pursuant to section 235(b)(1) ) is governed only by chapter 158 of title 28
of the United States Code, except as provided in subsection (b) and except that
the court may not order the taking of additional evidence under section 2347(c)
of such title.
(2) Matters not subject to judicial review.-
(A) REVIEW RELATING TO SECTION 235(b)(1) .-Notwithstanding any other provision of
law 4/ (statutory or nonstatutory), including section
2241 of title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, and
sections 1361 and 1651 of such title , no court shall have jurisdiction to
review-
(i) except as provided in subsection (e), any individual
determination or to entertain any other cause or claim arising from or relating
to the implementation or operation of an order of removal pursuant to
section 235(b)(1) ,
(ii) except as provided in subsection (e), a decision by
the Attorney General to invoke the provisions of such section,
(iii) the application of such section to individual
aliens, including the determination made under section 235(b)(1)(B) , or
(iv) except as provided in subsection (e), procedures
and policies adopted by the Attorney General to implement the provisions of
section 235(b)(1) .
(B) Denials of Discretionary
Relief.-Notwithstanding any other provision of law 4/ (statutory or nonstatutory), including section
2241 of title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, and
sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, and except as provided in subparagraph
(D) , 3/ and regardless of whether the judgment,
decision, or action is made in removal proceedings, no court shall have
jurisdiction to review-
(ii) any other decision or action of the Attorney
General or the Secretary of Homeland Security 3/ the authority for which is specified under this
title to be in the discretion of the Attorney General or the Secretary of
Homeland Security 3/ , other than the granting of relief under
section 208(a).
(C) Orders against criminal aliens.-Notwithstanding
any other provision of law 4/ (statutory or nonstatutory), including section
2241 of title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, and
sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, and except as provided in subparagraph
(D) , no court shall have jurisdiction to review any final order of
removal against an alien who is removable by reason of having committed a
criminal offense covered in section 212(a)(2) or 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) , (B) , (C) , or (D) , or any offense covered by section 237(a)(2)(A)(ii) for which both predicate offenses are, without
regard to their date of commission, otherwise covered by section 237(a)(2)(A)(i) .
(D) 4/ JUDICIAL REVIEW OF CERTAIN LEGAL CLAIMS-
Nothing in subparagraph (B) or (C), or in any other provision of this Act (other
than this section) which limits or eliminates judicial review, shall be
construed as precluding review of constitutional claims or questions of law
raised upon a petition for review filed with an appropriate court of appeals in
accordance with this section.
(3) Treatment of certain decisions.-No alien shall have
a right to appeal from a decision of an immigration judge which is based solely
on a certification described in section 240(c)(1)(B) .
(4) 5/ CLAIMS UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION-
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory),
including section 2241 of title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas
corpus provision, and sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, a petition for
review filed with an appropriate court of appeals in accordance with this
section shall be the sole and exclusive means for judicial review of any cause
or claim under the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of
Cruel, Inhu man, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, except as provided in
subsection (e).
(5) 5/ EXCLUSIVE MEANS OF REVIEW- Notwithstanding any
other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory), including section 2241 of
title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, and
sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, a petition for review filed with an
appropriate court of appeals in accordance with this section shall be the sole
and exclusive means for judicial review of an order of removal entered or
issued under any provision of this Act, except as provided in subsection (e).
For purpos es of this Act, in every provision that limits or eliminates
judicial review or jurisdiction to review, the terms 'judicial review' and
'jurisdiction to review' include habeas corpus review pursuant to section 2241
of title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, sections
1361 and 1651 of such title, and review pursuant to any other provision of law
(statutory or nonstatutory).
(b) Requirements for Review of Orders of Removal.-With
respect to review of an order of removal under subsection (a)(1), the following
requirements apply:
(1) Deadline.-The petition for review must be filed not
later than 30 days after the date of the final order of removal.
(2) Venue and forms.-The petition for review shall be
filed with the court of appeals for the judicial circuit in which the
immigration judge completed the proceedings. The record and briefs do not have
to be printed. The court of appeals shall review the proceeding on a
typewritten record and on typewritten briefs.
(A) In general.-The respondent is the Attorney General.
The petition shall be served on the Attorney General and on the officer or
employee of the Service in charge of the Service district in which the final
order of removal under section 240 was entered.
(B) Stay of order.-Service of the petition on the
officer or employee does not stay the removal of an alien pending the court's
decision on the petition, unless the court orders otherwise.
(C) Alien's brief.-The alien shall serve and file a
brief in connection with a petition for judicial review not later than 40 days
after the date on which the administrative record is available, and may serve
and file a reply brief not later than 14 days after service of the brief of the
Attorney General, and the court may not extend these deadlines except upon
motion for good cause shown. If an alien fails to file a brief within the time
provided in this paragraph, the court shall dismiss the appeal unles s a
manifest injustice would result.
(4) Scope and standard for review.-Except as provided in
paragraph (5)(B)-
(A) the court of appeals shall decide the petition only
on the administrative record on which the order of removal is based,
(B) the administrative findings of fact are conclusive
unless any reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the
contrary,
(C) a decision that an alien is not eligible for admission
to the United States is conclusive unless manifestly contrary to law, and
(D) the Attorney General's discretionary judgment
whether to grant relief under section 208(a) shall be conclusive unless
manifestly contrary to the law and an abuse of discretion.
2/ No court shall reverse a determination made by
a trier of fact with respect to the availability of corroborating evidence, as
described in section 208(b)(1)(B) , 240(c)(4)(B) , or 241(b)(3)(C) ,unless the court finds, pursuant to
section 242(b)(4)(B) , that a reasonable trier of fact is
compelled to conclude that such corroborating evidence is unavailable.
(5) Treatment of nationality claims.-
(A) Court determination if no issue of fact.-If the
petitioner claims to be a national of the United States and the court of
appeals finds from the pleadings and affidavits that no genuine issue of
material fact about the petitioner's nationality is presented, the court shall
decide the nationality claim.
(B) Transfer if issue of fact.-If the petitioner claims
to be a national of the United States and the court of appeals finds that a
genuine issue of material fact about the petitioner's nationality is presented,
the court shall transfer the proceeding to the district court of the United
States for the judicial district in which the petitioner resides for a new
hearing on the nationality claim and a decision on that claim as if an action
had been brought in the district court under section 2201 of title 28, United
States Code.
(C) Limitation on determination.-The petitioner may have
such nationality claim decided only as provided in this paragraph.
(6) Consolidation with review of motions to reopen or
reconsider.-When a petitioner seeks review of an order under this section, any
review sought of a motion to reopen or reconsider the order shall be consolidated
with the review of the order.
(7) Challenge to validity of orders in certain criminal
proceedings.-
(A) In general.-If the validity of an order of removal
has not been judicially decided, a defendant in a criminal proceeding charged
with violating section 243(a) may challenge the validity of the order in the
criminal proceeding only by filing a separate motion before trial. The district
court, without a jury, shall decide the motion before trial.
(B) Claims of United States nationality.-If the
defendant claims in the motion to be a national of the United States and the
district court finds that-
(i) no genuine issue of material fact about the
defendant's nationality is presented, the court shall decide the motion only on
the administrative record on which the removal order is based and the
administrative findings of fact are conclusive if supported by reasonable,
substantial, and probative evidence on the record considered as a whole; or
(ii) a genuine issue of material fact about the defendant's
nationality is presented, the court shall hold a new hearing on the nationality
claim and decide that claim as if an action had been brought under section 2201
of title 28, United States Code.
The defendant may have such nationality claim decided only as provided in this
subparagraph.
(C) Consequence of invalidation.-If the district court
rules that the removal order is invalid, the court shall dismiss the indictment
for violation of section 243(a). The United States Government may appeal the
dismissal to the court of appeals for the appropriate circuit within 30 days
after the date of the dismissal.
(D) Limitation on filing petitions for review.-The
defendant in a criminal proceeding under section 243(a) may not file a petition for review under
subsection (a) during the criminal proceeding.
(8) Construction.-This subsection-
(A) does not prevent the Attorney General, after a final
order of removal has been issued, from detaining the alien under section 241(a) ;
(B) does not relieve the alien from complying with section 241(a)(4) and section 243(g); and
(C) does not require the Attorney General to defer
removal of the alien.
(9) Consolidation of issues for judicial
review.-Judicial review of all questions of law and fact, including
interpretation and application of constitutional and statutory provisions,
arising from any action taken or proceeding brought to remove an alien from the
United States under this title shall be available only in judicial review of a
final order under this section. 6/ Except as otherwise provided in this section,
no court shall have jurisdiction, by habeas corpus under section 2241 of title
28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, by section 1361
or 1651 of such title, or by any other provision of law (statutory or
nonstatutory), to review such an order or such questions of law or fact.
(c) Requirements for Petition.-A petition for review or
for habeas corpus of an order of removal.-
(1) shall attach a copy of such order, and
(2) shall state whether a court has upheld the validity of
the order, and, if so, shall state the name of the court, the date of the
court's ruling, and the kind of proceeding.
(d) Review of Final Orders.-A court may review a final
order of removal only if-
(1) the alien has exhausted all administrative remedies
available to the alien as of right, and
(2) another court has not decided the validity of the
order, unless the reviewing court finds that the petition presents grounds that
could not have been presented in the prior judicial proceeding or that the
remedy provided by the prior proceeding was inadequate or ineffective to test
the validity of the order.
(e) Judicial Review of Orders Under Section 235(b)(1) .-
(1) Limitations on relief.-Without regard to the nature
of the action or claim and without regard to the identity of the party or
parties bringing the action, no court may-
(A) enter declaratory, injunctive, or other equitable
relief in any action pertaining to an order to exclude an alien in accordance
with section 235(b)(1) except as specifically authorized in a
subsequent paragraph of this subsection, or
(B) certify a class under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure in any action for which judicial review is authorized under
a subsequent paragraph of this subsection.
(2) Habeas corpus proceedings.-Judicial review of any
determination made under section 235(b)(1) is available in habeas corpus proceedings, but
shall be limited to determinations of-
(A) whether the petitioner is an alien,
(B) whether the petitioner was ordered removed under
such section, and
(C) whether the petitioner can prove by a preponderance
of the evidence that the petitioner is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence, has been admitted as a refugee under section 207 , or has been granted asylum under
section 208 , such status not having been terminated, and
is entitled to such further inquiry as prescribed by the Attorney General
pursuant to section 235(b)(1)(C) .
(3) Challenges on validity of the system.-
(A) In general.-Judicial review of determinations under
section 235(b) and its implementation is available in an
action instituted in the United States District Court for the District of
Columbia, but shall be limited to determinations of-
(i) whether such section, or any regulation issued to
implement such section, is constitutional; or
(ii) whether such a regulation, or a written policy
directive, written policy guideline, or written procedure issued by or under
the authority of the Attorney General to implement such section, is not
consistent with applicable provisions of this title or is otherwise in
violation of law.
(B) Deadlines for bringing actions.-Any action
instituted under this paragraph must be filed no later than 60 days after the
date the challenged section, regulation, directive, guideline, or procedure
described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) is first implemented.
(C) Notice of appeal.-A notice of appeal of an order
issued by the District Court under this paragraph may be filed not later than
30 days after the date of issuance of such order.
(D) Expeditious consideration of cases.-It shall be the
duty of the District Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the
United States to advance on the docket and to expedite to the greatest possible
extent the disposition of any case considered under this paragraph.
(4) Decision.-In any case where the court determines
that the petitioner-
(A) is an alien who was not ordered removed under
section 235(b)(1) , or
(B) has demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence
that the alien is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, has been
admitted as a refugee under section 207 , or has been granted asylum under
section 208 , the court may order no remedy or relief other
than to require that the petitioner be provided a hearing in accordance with
section 240 . Any alien who is provided a hearing under
section 240 pursuant to this paragraph may thereafter obtain judicial review of
any resulting final order of removal pursuant to subsection (a)(1).
(5) Scope of inquiry.-In determining whether an alien
has been ordered removed under section 235(b)(1) , the court's inquiry shall be limited to
whether such an order in fact was issued and whether it relates to the
petitioner. There shall be no review of whether the alien is actually
inadmissible or entitled to any relief from removal.
(f) Limit on Injunctive Relief.-
(1) In general.-Regardless of the nature of the action
or claim or of the identity of the party or parties bringing the action, no
court (other than the Supreme Court) shall have jurisdiction or authority to
enjoin or restrain the operation of the provisions of chapter 4 of title II, as
amended by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of
1996, other than with respect to the application of such provisions to an
individual alien against whom proceedings under such chapter have been
initiated.
(2) Particular cases.-Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, no court shall enjoin the removal of any alien pursuant to a
final order under this section unless the alien shows by clear and convincing
evidence that the entry or execution of such order is prohibited as a matter of
law.
(g) Exclusive Jurisdiction.-Except as provided in
this section and notwithstanding any other provision of law 7/ (statutory or nonstatutory), including section
2241 of title 28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus provision, and
sections 1361 and 1651 of such title , no court shall have jurisdiction to
hear any cause or claim by or on behalf of any alien arising from the decision
or action by the Attorney General to commence proceedings, adjudicate cases, or
execute removal orders against any alien under this Act.
INA: ACT 242A
Sec. 242A. [8 U.S.C. 1252a] 1/
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 242A
FN 1 Former section 238 was redesignated as section 233 and moved
accordingly by § 308(b)(4) of IIRIRA. This new section 238 is former
section 242A as redesignated by § 308(b)(5) of IIRIRA.
INA: ACT 242B
Sec. 242B. [8 U.S.C. 1252b] [Deportation Procedures] 1/
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 242B
FN 1 Section 242B was stricken by § 308(b)(6) of IIRIRA. Most of its provisions, as amended,
were incorporated into new section 237 of INA.
INA: ACT 243 - PENALTIES RELATED TO REMOVAL
(a) Sec. 243. 1/ (a) Penalty for
Failure to Depart.-
(1) In general.-Any alien against whom a final order of
removal is outstanding by reason of being a member of any of the classes
described in section 237(a), who-
(A) willfully fails or refuses to depart from the United
States within a period of 90 days from the date of the final order of removal
under administrative processes, or if judicial review is had, then from the
date of the final order of the court,
(B) willfully fails or refuses to make timely
application in good faith for travel or other documents necessary to the
alien's departure,
(C) connives or conspires, or takes any other action,
designed to prevent or hamper or with the purpose of preventing or hampering
the alien's departure pursuant to such, or
(D) willfully fails or refuses to present himself or
herself for removal at the time and place required by the Attorney General
pursuant to such order,shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, or
imprisoned not more than four years (or 10 years if the alien is a member of
any of the classes described in paragraph (1)(E), (2), (3), or (4) of
section 237(a) ), or both.
(2) Exception.-It is not a violation of paragraph (1) to
take any proper steps for the purpose of securing cancellation of or exemption
from such order of removal or for the purpose of securing the alien's release
from incarceration or custody.
(3) Suspension.-The court may for good cause suspend the
sentence of an alien under this subsection and order the alien's release under
such conditions as the court may prescribe. In determining whether good cause
has been shown to justify releasing the alien, the court shall take into
account such factors as-
(A) the age, health, and period of detention of the
alien;
(B) the effect of the alien's release upon the national
security and public peace or safety;
(C) the likelihood of the alien's resuming or following
a course of conduct which made or would make the alien deportable;
(D) the character of the efforts made by such alien
himself and by representatives of the country or countries to which the alien's
removal is directed to expedite the alien's departure from the United States;
(E) the reason for the inability of the Government of
the United States to secure passports, other travel documents, or removal
facilities from the country or countries to which the alien has been ordered
removed; and
(F) the eligibility of the alien for discretionary
relief under the immigration laws.
(b) Willful Failure to Comply with Terms of Release
Under Supervision.-An alien who shall willfully fail to comply with regulations
or requirements issued pursuant to section 241(a)(3) or knowingly give false information in response
to an inquiry under such section shall be fined not more than $1,000 or
imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(c) Penalties Relating to Vessels and Aircraft.-
(A) Failure to carry out certain orders.-If the Attorney
General is satisfied that a person has violated subsection (d) or (e) of
section 241 , the person shall pay to the Commissioner the
sum of $2,000 for each violation.
(B) Failure to remove alien stowaways.-If the Attorney
General is satisfied that a person has failed to remove an alien stowaway as
required under section 241(d)(2) , the person shall pay to the Commissioner the
sum of $5,000 for each alien stowaway not removed.
(C) No compromise.-The Attorney General may not
compromise the amount of such penalty under this paragraph.
(2) Clearing vessels and aircraft.-
(A) Clearance before decision on liability.-A vessel or
aircraft may be granted clearance before a decision on liability is made under
paragraph (1) only if a bond approved by the Attorney General or an amount
sufficient to pay the civil penalty is deposited with the Commissioner.
(B) Prohibition on clearance while penalty unpaid.-A vessel
or aircraft may not be granted clearance if a civil penalty imposed under
paragraph (1) is not paid.
(d) Discontinuing Granting Visas to Nationals of Country
Denying or Delaying Accepting Alien.-On being notified by the Attorney General
that the government of a foreign country denies or unreasonably delays
accepting an alien who is a citizen, subject, national, or resident of that
country after the Attorney General asks whether the government will accept the
alien under this section, the Secretary of State shall order consular officers
in that foreign country to discontinue granting immigrant visas or nonimmigrant
visas, or both, to citizens, subjects, nationals, and residents of that country
until the Attorney General notifies the Secretary that the country has accepted
the alien.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 243
INA: ACT 244 - TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS
Sec. 244. 1/ [8 U.S.C. 1254]
(1) In general.-In the case of an alien who is a
national of a foreign state designated under subsection (b) (or in the case of
an alien having no nationality, is a person who last habitually resided in such
designated state) and who meets the requirements of subsection (c), the
Attorney General, in accordance with this section-
(A) may grant the alien temporary protected status in
the United States and shall not remove the alien from the United States during
the period in which such status is in effect, and
(B) shall authorize the alien to engage in employment in
the United States and provide the alien with an "employment
authorized" endorsement or other appropriate work permit.
(2) Duration of work authorization.-Work authorization
provided under this section shall be effective throughout the period the alien
is in temporary protected status under this section.
(A) Upon the granting of temporary protected status
under this section, the Attorney General shall provide the alien with
information concerning such status under this section.
(B) If, at the time of initiation of a removal
proceeding against an alien, the foreign state (of which the alien is a
national) is designated under subsection (b), the Attorney General shall
promptly notify the alien of the temporary protected status that may be
available under this section.
(C) If, at the time of designation of a foreign state
under subsection (b), an alien (who is a national of such state) is in a
removal proceeding under this title, the Attorney General shall promptly notify
the alien of the temporary protected status that may be available under this
section.
(D) Notices under this paragraph shall be provided in a
form and language that the alien can understand.
(4) Temporary treatment for eligible aliens.-
(A) In the case of an alien who can establish a prima
facie case of eligibility for benefits under paragraph (1), but for the fact
that the period of registration under subsection (c)(1)(A)(iv) has not begun,
until the alien has had a reasonable opportunity to register during the first
30 days of such period, the Attorney General shall provide for the benefits of
paragraph (1).
(B) In the case of an alien who establishes a prima
facie case of eligibility for benefits under paragraph (1), until a final
determination with respect to the alien's eligibility for such benefits under
paragraph (1) has been made, the alien shall be provided such benefits.
(5) Clarification.-Nothing in this section shall be
construed as authorizing the Attorney General to deny temporary protected
status to an alien based on the alien's immigration status or to require any
alien, as a condition of being granted such status, either to relinquish
nonimmigrant or other status the alien may have or to execute any waiver of
other rights under this Act. The granting of temporary protected status under
this section shall not be considered to be inconsistent with the granting of
nonimmigrant status under this Act.
(1) In general.-The Attorney General, after consultation
with appropriate agencies of the Government, may designate any foreign state
(or any part of such foreign state) under this subsection only if-
(A) the Attorney General finds that there is an ongoing
armed conflict within the state and, due to such conflict, requiring the return
of aliens who are nationals of that state to that state (or to the part of the
state) would pose a serious threat to their personal safety;
(B) the Attorney General finds that-
(i) there has been an earthquake, flood, drought,
epidemic, or other environmental disaster in the state resulting in a
substantial, but temporary, disruption of living conditions in the area
affected,
(ii) the foreign state is unable, temporarily, to handle
adequately the return to the state of aliens who are nationals of the state,
and
(iii) the foreign state officially has requested
designation under this subparagraph; or
(C) the Attorney General finds that there exist
extraordinary and temporary conditions in the foreign state that prevent aliens
who are nationals of the state from returning to the state in safety, unless
the Attorney General finds that permitting the aliens to remain temporarily in
the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.
A designation of a foreign state (or part of such foreign state) under this
paragraph shall not become effective unless notice of the designation
(including a statement of the findings under this paragraph and the effective
date of the designation) is published in the Federal Register. In such notice,
the Attorney General shall also state an estimate of the number of nationals of
the foreign state designated who are (or within the effective period of the
designation are likely to become) eligible f or temporary protected status
under this section and their immigration status in the United States.
(2) Effective period of designation for foreign
states.-The designation of a foreign state (or part of such foreign state)
under paragraph (1) shall-
(A) take effect upon the date of publication of the
designation under such paragraph, or such later date as the Attorney General
may specify in the notice published under such paragraph, and
(B) shall remain in effect until the effective date of
the termination of the designation under paragraph (3)(B). For purposes of this
section, the initial period of designation of a foreign state (or part thereof)
under paragraph (1) is the period, specified by the Attorney General, of not
less than 6 months and not more than 18 months.
(3) Periodic review, terminations, and extensions of
designations.-
(A) Periodic review.-At least 60 days before end of the
initial period of designation, and any extended period of designation, of a
foreign state (or part thereof) under this section the Attorney General, after
consultation with appropriate agencies of the Government, shall review the
conditions in the foreign state (or part of such foreign state) for which a
designation is in effect under this subsection and shall determine whether the
conditions for such designation under this subsection continu e to be met. The
Attorney General shall provide on a timely basis for the publication of notice
of each such determination (including the basis for the determination, and, in
the case of an affirmative determination, the period of extension of
designation under subparagraph (C)) in the Federal Register.
(B) Termination of designation.-If the Attorney General
determines under subparagraph (A) that a foreign state (or part of such foreign
state) no longer continues to meet the conditions for designation under
paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall terminate the designation by
publishing notice in the Federal Register of the determination under this
subparagraph (including the basis for the determination). Such termination is
effective in accordance with subsection (d)(3), but shall not be effect ive
earlier than 60 days after the date the notice is published or, if later, the
expiration of the most recent previous extension under subparagraph (C).
(C) Extension of designation.-If the Attorney General
does not determine under subparagraph (A) that a foreign state (or part of such
foreign state) no longer meets the conditions for designation under paragraph
(1), the period of designation of the foreign state is extended for an
additional period of 6 months (or, in the discretion of the Attorney General, a
period of 12 or 18 months).
(4) Information concerning protected status at time of
designations.-At the time of a designation of a foreign state under this
subsection, the Attorney General shall make available information respecting
the temporary protected status made available to aliens who are nationals of
such designated foreign state.
(A) Designations.-There is no judicial review of any
determination of the Attorney General with respect to the designation, or
termination or extension of a designation, of a foreign state under this
subsection.
(B) Application to individuals.-The Attorney General
shall establish an administrative procedure for the review of the denial of
benefits to aliens under this subsection. Such procedure shall not prevent an
alien from asserting protection under this section in removal proceedings if
the alien demonstrates that the alien is a national of a state designated under
paragraph (1).
(c) Aliens Eligible for Temporary Protected Status.-
(A) Nationals of designated foreign states.-Subject to
paragraph (3), an alien, who is a national of a state designated under
subsection (b)(1) (or in the case of an alien having no nationality, is a
person who last habitually resided in such designated state), meets the
requirements of this paragraph only if-
(i) the alien has been continuously physically present
in the United States since the effective date of the most recent designation of
that state;
(ii) the alien has continuously resided in the United
States since such date as the Attorney General may designate;
(iii) the alien is admissible as an immigrant, except as
otherwise provided under paragraph (2)(A), and is not ineligible for temporary
protected status under paragraph (2)(B); and
(iv) to the extent and in a manner which the Attorney
General establishes, the alien registers for the temporary protected status
under this section during a registration period of not less than 180 days.
(B) Registration fee.-The Attorney General may require
payment of a reasonable fee as a condition of registering an alien under
subparagraph (A)(iv) (including providing an alien with an "employment
authorized" endorsement or other appropriate work permit under this
section). The amount of any such fee shall not exceed $50. In the case of
aliens registered pursuant to a designation under this section made after July
17, 1991, the Attorney General may impose a separate, additional fee for
providin g an alien with documentation of work authorization. Notwithstanding
section 3302 of title 31, United States Code, all fees collected under this
subparagraph shall be credited to the appropriation to be used in carrying out
this section.
(2) Eligibility standards.-
(A) Waiver of certain grounds for inadmissibility.-In
the determination of an alien's admissibility for purposes of subparagraph
(A)(iii) of paragraph (1)-
(i) the provisions of paragraphs (5) and (7)(A) of
section 212(a) shall not apply;
(ii) except as provided in clause (iii), the Attorney
General may waive any other provision of section 212(a) in the case of
individual aliens for humanitarian purposes, to assure family unity, or when it
is otherwise in the public interest; but
(iii) the Attorney General may not waive-
(I) paragraphs (2)(A) and (2)(B) (relating to criminals)
of such section,
(II) paragraph (2)(C) of such section (relating to drug
offenses), except for so much of such paragraph as relates to a single offense
of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana, or
(III) paragraphs (3)(A), (3)(B), (3)(C), and (3)(E) of
such section (relating to national security and participation in the Nazi
persecutions or those who have engaged in genocide).
(B) Aliens ineligible.-An alien shall not be eligible
for temporary protected status under this section if the Attorney General finds
that-
(i) the alien has been convicted of any felony or 2 or
more misdemeanors committed in the United States, or
(3) Withdrawal of temporary protected status.-The
Attorney General shall withdraw temporary protected status granted to an alien
under this section if-
(A) the Attorney General finds that the alien was not in
fact eligible for such status under this section,
(B) except as provided in paragraph (4) and permitted in
subsection (f)(3), the alien has not remained continuously physically present
in the United States from the date the alien first was granted temporary
protected status under this section, or
(C) the alien fails, without good cause, to register
with the Attorney General annually, at the end of each 12-month period after
the granting of such status, in a form and manner specified by the Attorney
General.
(4) Treatment of brief, casual, and innocent departures
and certain other absences.-
(A) For purposes of paragraphs (1)(A)(i) and (3)(B), an
alien shall not be considered to have failed to maintain continuous physical
presence in the United States by virtue of brief, casual, and innocent absences
from the United States, without regard to whether such absences were authorized
by the Attorney General.
(B) For purposes of paragraph (1)(A)(ii), an alien shall
not be considered to have failed to maintain continuous residence in the United
States by reason of a brief, casual, and innocent absence described in
subparagraph (A) or due merely to a brief temporary trip abroad required by
emergency or extenuating circumstances outside the control of the alien.
(5) Construction.-Nothing in this section shall be
construed as authorizing an alien to apply for admission to, or to be admitted
to, the United States in order to apply for temporary protected status under
this section.
(6) Confidentiality of information.-The Attorney General
shall establish procedures to protect the confidentiality of information
provided by aliens under this section.
(1) Initial issuance.-Upon the granting of temporary
protected status to an alien under this section, the Attorney General shall
provide for the issuance of such temporary documentation and authorization as
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
(2) Period of validity.-Subject to paragraph (3), such
documentation shall be valid during the initial period of designation of the
foreign state (or part thereof) involved and any extension of such period. The
Attorney General may stagger the periods of validity of the documentation and
authorization in order to provide for an orderly renewal of such documentation
and authorization and for an orderly transition (under paragraph (3)) upon the
termination of a designation of a foreign state (or any part of such foreign
state).
(3) Effective date of terminations.-If the Attorney
General terminates the designation of a foreign state (or part of such foreign
state) under subsection (b)(3)(B), such termination shall only apply to
documentation and authorization issued or renewed after the effective date of
the publication of notice of the determination under that subsection (or, at
the Attorney General's option, after such period after the effective date of
the determination as the Attorney General determines to be appropria te in
order to provide for an orderly transition).
(4) Detention of the alien.-An alien provided temporary
protected status under this section shall not be detained by the Attorney
General on the basis of the alien's immigration status in the United
States.
(e) Relation of Period of Temporary Protected Status to
cancellation of removal.-With respect to an alien granted temporary protected
status under this section, the period of such status shall not be counted as a
period of physical presence in the United States for purposes of section 240A(a) 2/ , unless the Attorney General determines that
extreme hardship exists. Such period shall not cause a break in the continuity
of residence of the period before and after such period for purposes of such
section.
(f) Benefits and Status During Period of Temporary
Protected Status.-During a period in which an alien is granted temporary
protected status under this section-
(1) the alien shall not be considered to be permanently
residing in the United States under color of law;
(2) the alien may be deemed ineligible for public
assistance by a State (as defined in section 101(a)(36)) or any political
subdivision thereof which furnishes such assistance;
(3) the alien may travel abroad with the prior consent
of the Attorney General; and
(4) for purposes of adjustment of status under
section 245 and change of status under section 248, the
alien shall be considered as being in, and maintaining, lawful status as a
nonimmigrant.
(g) Exclusive Remedy.-Except as otherwise specifically
provided, this section shall constitute the exclusive authority of the Attorney
General under law to permit aliens who are or may become otherwise deportable
or have been paroled into the United States to remain in the United States
temporarily because of their particular nationality or region of foreign state
of nationality.
(h) Limitation on Consideration in the Senate of
Legislation Adjusting Status.-
(1) In general.-Except as provided in paragraph (2), it
shall not be in order in the Senate to consider any bill, resolution, or amendment
that-
(A) provides for adjustment to lawful temporary or
permanent resident alien status for any alien receiving temporary protected
status under this section, or
(B) has the effect of amending this subsection or
limiting the application of this subsection.
(2) Supermajority required.-Paragraph (1) may be waived
or suspended in the Senate only by the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the
Members duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the
Members of the Senate duly chosen and sworn shall be required in the Senate to
sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under
paragraph (1).
(3) Rules.-Paragraphs (1) and (2) are enacted-
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate
and as such they are deemed a part of the rules of the Senate, but applicable
only with respect to the matters described in paragraph (1) and supersede other
rules of the Senate only to the extent that such paragraphs are inconsistent
therewith; and
(B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of
the Senate to change such rules at any time, in the same manner as in the case
of any other rule of the Senate.
(i) Annual Report and Review.-
(1) Annual report.-Not later than March 1 of each year (beginning with 1992),
the Attorney General, after consultation with the appropriate agencies of the
Government, shall submit a report to the Committees on the Judiciary of the
House of Representatives and of the Senate on the operation of this section
during the previous year. Each report shall include-
(A) a listing of the foreign states or parts thereof designated under this
section,
(B) the number of nationals of each such state who have been granted temporary
protected status under this section and their immigration status before being
granted such status, and
(C) an explanation of the reasons why foreign states or parts thereof were
designated under subsection (b)(1) and, with respect to foreign states or parts
thereof previously designated, why the designation was terminated or extended
under subsection (b)(3).
(2) Committee report.-No later than 180 days after the date of receipt of such
a report, the Committee on the Judiciary of each House of Congress shall report
to its respective House such oversight findings and legislation as it deems
appropriate.
FOOTNOTES FOR SECTION 244
FN 1 Former section 244 repealed by
section 308(a)(7) of IIRIRA. See new section 240A and 240B
of IIRIRA. Former INA section 244A was redesignated as 244 by § 308(a)(7) of
IIRIRA.
"(8) REFERENCES TO SECTION 244.-
(A)(i) Section 201(b)(1)(D) (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)(D)) and subsection (e) of
section 244A (8 U.S.C. 1254a), before redesignation as section 244 by section
308(b)(7), are each amended by striking "244(a)" and inserting
"240A(a)"."
The amendment may be in error. It should reference "240A(b)" which is
cancellation for non-LPRs which is what would apply to those
in temporary protected status.