NICARAGUAN ADJUSTMENT AND CENTRAL AMERICAN RELIEF ACT
Public Law 105–100, as amended
NICARAGUAN ADJUSTMENT AND CENTRAL AMERICAN RELIEF ACT
100
115–141
Statute Compilation
United States House of Representatives
Office of the Legislative Counsel
text/xml
EN
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Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act
1382
105
1997-11-19
NICARAGUAN ADJUSTMENT AND CENTRAL AMERICAN RELIEF ACT
[P.L. 105–100; Enacted November 19, 1997]
[As Amended Through P.L. 115–141, Enacted March 23, 2018]
[Currency: This publication is a compilation of the text of Public Law 105–100. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps/]
[Note: While this publication does not represent an official version of any Federal statute, substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The official version of Federal law is found in the United States Statutes at Large and in the United States Code. The legal effect to be given to the Statutes at Large and the United States Code is established by statute (1 U.S.C. 112, 204).]
TITLE II—

CLARIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR RELIEF FROM REMOVAL AND DEPORTATION FOR CERTAIN ALIENS
* * * * * * *
Sec. 202.
[8 U.S.C. 1255 note]

Adjustment of Status of Certain Nicaraguans and Cubans.—
(a)1

Adjustment of Status.—
^1
The dash that appears after the section heading does not appear in the enacted law. The dash was editorially inserted in order that the conversion of the belcode version up to XML results in a valid file.
(1)

In general.—
The status of any alien described in subsection (b) shall be adjusted by the Attorney General to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, if the alien—
(A)
applies for such adjustment before April 1, 2000; and
(B)
is otherwise admissible to the United States for permanent residence, except in determining such admissibility the grounds for inadmissibility specified in paragraphs (4), (5), (6)(A), (7)(A), and (9)(B) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall not apply.
(2)

Rules in applying certain provisions.—
In the case of an alien described in subsection (b) or (d) who is applying for adjustment of status under this section—
(A)
the provisions of section 241(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall not apply; and
(B)
the Attorney General may grant the alien a waiver on the grounds of inadmissibility under subparagraphs (A) and (C) of section 212(a)(9) of such Act.
In granting waivers under subparagraph (B), the Attorney General shall use standards used in granting consent under subparagraphs (A)(iii) and (C)(ii) of such section 212(a)(9).
(3)

Relationship of application to certain orders.—
An alien present in the United States who has been ordered excluded, deported, removed, or ordered to depart voluntarily from the United States under any provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act may, notwithstanding such order, apply for adjustment of status under paragraph (1). Such an alien may not be required, as a condition of submitting or granting such application, to file a separate motion to reopen, reconsider, or vacate such order. If the Attorney General grants the application, the Attorney General shall cancel the order. If the Attorney General renders a final administrative decision to deny the application, the order shall be effective and enforceable to the same extent as if the application had not been made.
(b)

Aliens Eligible for Adjustment of Status.—
(1)

In general.—
The benefits provided by subsection (a) shall apply to any alien who is a national of Nicaragua or Cuba and who has been physically present in the United States for a continuous period, beginning not later than December 1, 1995, and ending not earlier than the date the application for adjustment under such subsection is filed, except an alien shall not be considered to have failed to maintain continuous physical presence by reason of an absence, or absences, from the United States for any periods in the aggregate not exceeding 180 days.
(2)

Proof of commencement of continuous presence.—
For purposes of establishing that the period of continuous physical presence referred to in paragraph (1) commenced not later than December 1, 1995, an alien—
(A)
shall demonstrate that the alien, prior to December 1, 1995—
(i)
applied to the Attorney General for asylum;
(ii)
was issued an order to show cause under
section 242 or 242B of the Immigration and Nationality Act (as in effect prior to April 1, 1997);
(iii)
was placed in exclusion proceedings under
section 236 of such Act (as so in effect);
(iv)
applied for adjustment of status under section 245 of such Act;
(v)
applied to the Attorney General for employment authorization;
(vi)
performed service, or engaged in a trade or business, within the United States which is evidenced by records maintained by the Commissioner of Social Security; or
(vii)
applied for any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act by means of an application establishing the alien's presence in the United States prior to December 1, 1995; or
(B)
shall make such other demonstration of physical presence as the Attorney General may provide for by
regulation.
(c)

Stay of Removal; Work Authorization.—
(1)

In general.—
The Attorney General shall provide by regulation for an alien subject to a final order of deportation or removal to seek a stay of such order based on the filing of an application under subsection (a).
(2)

During certain proceedings.—
Notwithstanding any provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Attorney General shall not order any alien to be removed from the United States, if the alien is in exclusion, deportation, or removal proceedings under any provision of such Act and has applied for adjustment of status under subsection (a), except where the Attorney General has rendered a final administrative determination to deny the application.
(3)

Work authorization.—
The Attorney General may authorize an alien who has applied for adjustment of status under subsection (a) to engage in employment in the United States during the pendency of such application and may provide the alien with an “employment authorized” endorsement or other appropriate document signifying authorization of employment, except that if such application is pending for a period exceeding 180 days, and has not been denied, the Attorney General shall authorize such employment.
(d)

Adjustment of Status for Spouses and Children.—
(1)

In general.—
The status of an alien shall be adjusted by the Attorney General to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, if—
(A)
the alien is a national of Nicaragua or Cuba;
(B)
the alien—
(i)
is the spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter of an alien whose status is adjusted to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under subsection (a), except that in the case of such an unmarried son or daughter, the son or daughter shall be required to establish that the son or daughter has been physically present in the United States for a continuous period beginning not later than December 1, 1995, and ending not earlier than the date on which the application for adjustment under this subsection is filed; or
(ii)
was, at the time at which an alien filed for adjustment under subsection (a), the spouse or child of an alien whose status is adjusted, or was eligible for adjustment, to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under subsection (a), and the spouse, child, or child of the spouse has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by the alien that filed for adjustment under subsection (a);
(C)
the alien applies for such adjustment and is
physically present in the United States on the date the application is filed;
(D)
the alien is otherwise admissible to the United States for permanent residence, except in determining such admissibility the grounds for inadmissibility specified in paragraphs (4), (5), (6)(A), (7)(A), and (9)(B) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall not apply; and
(E)
applies for such adjustment before April 1, 2000, or, in the case of an alien who qualifies under subparagraph (B)(ii), applies for such adjustment during the 18-month period beginning on the date of enactment of the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005.
(2)

Proof of continuous presence.—
For purposes of establishing the period of continuous physical presence referred to in paragraph (1)(B), an alien—
(A)
shall demonstrate that such period commenced not later than December 1, 1995, in a manner consistent with subsection (b)(2); and
(B)
shall not be considered to have failed to maintain continuous physical presence by reason of an absence, or absences, from the United States for any period in the aggregate not exceeding 180 days.
(3)

Procedure.—
In acting on an application under this section with respect to a spouse or child who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty, the Attorney General shall apply section 204(a)(1)(J).
(e)

Availability of Administrative Review.—
The Attorney General shall provide to applicants for adjustment of status under subsection (a) the same right to, and procedures for, administrative review as are provided to—
(1)
applicants for adjustment of status under section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; or
(2)
aliens subject to removal proceedings under section 240 of such Act.
(f)

Limitation on Judicial Review.—
A determination by the Attorney General as to whether the status of any alien should be adjusted under this section is final and shall not be subject to review by any court.
(g)

No Offset in Number of Visas Available.—
When an alien is granted the status of having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence pursuant to this section, the Secretary of State shall not be required to reduce the number of immigrant visas authorized to be issued under any provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
(h)

Application of Immigration and Nationality Act Provisions.—
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section, the definitions contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act shall apply in the administration of this section. Nothing contained in this section shall be held to repeal, amend, alter, modify, affect, or restrict the powers, duties, functions, or authority of the Attorney General in the administration and enforcement of such Act or any other law relating to immigration, nationality, or naturalization. The fact that an alien may be eligible to be granted the status of having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence under this section shall not preclude the alien from seeking such status under any other provision of law for which the alien may be eligible.