[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 221 (Thursday, November 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58425-58426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29215]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[INS No. 1801-96; AG Order No. 2062-96]
RIN 1115-AE26


Extension of Designation of Rwanda Under Temporary Protected 
Status Program

AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice extends, until June 6, 1997, the Attorney 
General's designation of Rwanda 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 Rwanda (or who have no nationality and last 
habitually resided in Rwanda) 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 June 6, 1995.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This extension of designation is effective on December 
7, 1996, and will remain in effect until June 6, 1997. The primary re-
registration procedures become effective on November 14, 1996, and will 
remain in effect until December 16, 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

[[Page 58426]]

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 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 June 7, 1994, the Attorney General designated Rwanda 
for Temporary Protected Status for a period of 12 months, 59 FR 29440. 
The Attorney General extended the designation of Rwanda under the TPS 
program for a 12-month period until June 6, 1996, 60 FR 27790. 
Subsequently, the Attorney General extended the designation of Rwanda 
under the TPS program for an additional 6-month period until December 
6, 1996, 61 FR 29428.
    This notice extends the designation of Rwanda under the Temporary 
Protected Status program for an additional 6 months, in accordance with 
sections 244A(b)(3) (A) and (C) of the Act. This notice also describes 
the procedures that eligible aliens who are nationals of Rwanda (or who 
have no nationality and who last habitually resided in Rwanda) 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 Rwanda's TPS designation, late 
initial registrations are possible for some Rwandans under 8 CFR 
240.2(f)(2). Such late initial registrants must have been 
``continuously physically present'' in the United States since June 7, 
1994, 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 Rwanda under the Temporary 
Protected Status Program

    By the authority vested in me as Attorney General under section 
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 U.S. 
Government concerning (a) the conditions in Rwanda; and (b) whether 
permitting nationals of Rwanda (and aliens having no nationality who 
last habitually resided in Rwanda) to remain temporarily in the United 
States is contrary to the national interest of the United States. After 
these consultations, I do not determine that Rwanda no longer meets the 
conditions for Temporary Protected Status designation under paragraph 
244A(b)(3)(C) of the Act. Accordingly, it is ordered as follows:
    (1) The designation of Rwanda under section 244A(b) of the Act is 
extended for an additional 6-month period from December 7, 1996, to 
June 6, 1997.
    (2) I estimate that there are approximately 200 nationals of Rwanda 
(and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in 
Rwanda) 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 Rwanda (or an alien having no 
nationality who last habitually resided in Rwanda) who received a grant 
of TPS during the initial period of designation from June 7, 1994, to 
June 6, 1995, 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 Rwanda (or an alien having no nationality who 
last habitually resided in Rwanda) 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 
November 14, 1996, and ending on December 16, 1996, in order to be 
eligible for Temporary Protected Status during the period from December 
7, 1996, to June 6, 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 authorization pursuant 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 June 6, 1997, the 
designation of Rwanda 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 Rwanda 
(and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in 
Rwanda) will be available at local Immigration and Naturalization 
Service offices upon publication of this notice.

    Dated: November 5, 1996.
Janet Reno,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. 96-29215 Filed 11-13-96; 8:45 am]
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