[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 42 (Friday, March 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8076-8077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4924]



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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Immigration and Naturalization Service
[INS No. 1746-96; AG Order No. 2011-96]
RIN 1115-AE26


Extension of Designation of Liberia Under Temporary Protected 
Status Program

agency: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

action: Notice.

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summary: This notice extends, until March 28, 1997, the Attorney 
General's designation of Liberia under the Temporary Protected Status 
(TPS) program provided for in section 244A of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act, as amended (``the Act''). Accordingly, eligible aliens 
who are nationals of Liberia, or who have no nationality and who last 
habitually resided in Liberia, may re-register for Temporary Protected 
Status and extension of employment authorization. This re-registration 
is limited to persons who already have registered for the initial 
period of TPS which ended on March 27, 1992. In addition, some 
Liberians may be eligible for late initial registration pursuant to 8 
CFR 240.2(f)(2).

effective dates: This extension of designation is effective on March 
29, 1996, and will remain in effect until March 28, 1997. The primary 
re-registration procedures become effective on March 1, 1996, and will 
remain in effect until April 1, 1996.

for further information contact: Ronald Chirlin, Adjudications Officer, 
Immigration and Naturalization Service, Room 3214, 425 I Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20536, telephone (202) 514-5014.

supplementary information: Under section 244A of the Act, as amended by 
section 302(a) of Public Law 101-649 and section 304(b) of Public Law 
102-232 (8 U.S.C. 1254a), the Attorney General is authorized to grant 
Temporary Protected Status in the United States to eligible aliens who 
are nationals of a foreign state designated by the Attorney General, or 
who have no nationality and who last habitually resided in that state. 
The Attorney General may designate a state upon finding that the state 
is experiencing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or 
certain other extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent 
nationals or residents of the country from returning in safety.
    Effective on March 27, 1991, the Attorney General designated 
Liberia for Temporary Protected Status for a period of 12 months, 56 FR 
12746. The Attorney General extended the designation of Liberia under 
the TPS program for additional 12-month periods until March 28, 1996, 
60 FR 16163.
    This notice extends the designation of Liberia under the Temporary 
Protected Status program for an additional 12 months, in accordance 
with sections 244A(b)(3) (A) and (C) of the Act. This notice also 
describes the procedures which eligible aliens who are nationals of 
Liberia, or who have no nationality and who last habitually resided in 
Liberia, must comply with in order to re-register for TPS.
    In addition to timely re-registrations and late re-registrations 
authorized by this notice's extension of Liberia's TPS designation, 
late initial registrations are possible for some Liberians under 8 CFR 
240.2(f)(2). Such late initial registrants must have been 
``continuously physically present'' in the United States since March 
27, 1991, must have had a valid immigrant or non-immigrant status 
during the original registration period, and must register no later 
than 30 days from the expiration of such status.
    An Application for Employment Authorization, Form I-765, must 
always be filed as part of either a re-registration or as part of a 
late initial registration together with the Application for Temporary 
Protected Status, Form I-821. The appropriate filing fee must accompany 
Form I-765 unless a properly documented fee waiver request is submitted 
to the Immigration and Naturalization Service or unless the applicant 
does not request employment authorization. The Immigration and 
Naturalization Service requires TPS registrants to submit Form I-765 
for data-gathering purposes.

Notice of Extension of Designation of Liberia Under the Temporary 
Protected Status Program

    By the authority vested in me as Attorney General under sections 
244A of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, (8 U.S.C. 
1254a), and pursuant to sections 244A(b)(3) (A) and (C) of the Act, I 
have had consultations with the appropriate agencies of the Government 
concerning (a) the conditions in Liberia; and (b) whether permitting 
nationals of Liberia, and aliens having no nationality who last 
habitually resided in Liberia, to remain temporarily in the United 
States is contrary to the national interest of the United States. As a 
result, I determine that the conditions for the original designation of 
Temporary Protected Status for Liberia continue to be met. Accordingly, 
it is ordered as follows:
    (1) The designation of Liberia under section 244A(b) of the Act is 
extended for an additional 12-month period from March 29, 1996, to 
March 28, 1997.
    (2) I estimate that there are approximately 4000 nationals of 
Liberia, and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided 
in Liberia, who have been granted Temporary Protected Status and who 
are eligible for re-registration.
    (3) In order to maintain current registration for Temporary 
Protected Status, a national of Liberia, or an alien having no 
nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia, who received a 
grant of TPS during the initial period of designation from March 27, 
1991, to March 27, 1992, must comply with the re-registration 
requirements contained in 8 CFR 240.17, which are described in 
pertinent part in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this notice.
    (4) A national of Liberia, or an alien having no nationality who 
last habitually resided in Liberia, who previously has been granted 
TPS, must re-register by filing a new Application for Temporary 
Protected Status, Form I-821, together with an Application for 
Employment Authorization, Form I-765, within the 30-day period 
beginning on March 1, 1996, and ending on April 1, 1996, in order to be 
eligible for Temporary Protected Status during the period from March 
29, 1996, until March 28, 1997. Late re-registration applications will 
be allowed pursuant to 8 CFR 240.17(c).
    (5) There is no fee for Form I-821 filed as part of the re-
registration application. The fee prescribed in 8 CFR 103.7(b)(1), 
currently seventy dollars ($70), will be charged for Form I-765, filed 
by an alien requesting employment 

[[Page 8077]]
authorization pursaunt to the provisions of paragraph (4) of this 
notice. An alien who does not request employment authorization must 
nonetheless file Form I-821 together with Form I-765, but in such cases 
both Form I-821 and Form I-765 should be submitted without fee.
    (6) Pursuant to section 244A(b)(3)(A) of the Act, the Attorney 
General will review, at least 60 days before March 28, 1997, the 
designation of Liberia under the TPS program to determine whether the 
conditions for designation continue to be met. Notice of that 
determination, including the basis for the determination, will be 
published in the Federal Register.
    (7) Information concerning the TPS program for nationals of 
Liberia, and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided 
in Liberia, will be available at local Immigration and Naturalization 
Service offices upon publication of this notice.

    Dated: February 26, 1996.
Janet Reno,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. 96-4924 Filed 2-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-01-M