[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 118 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33442-33443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16050]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service
[INS No. 1853-97; AG Order No. 2087-97]
RIN 1115-AE26


Termination of Designation of Rwanda Under Temporary Protected 
Status Program After Final 6-Month Extension

AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice terminates, effective on December 6, 1997, the 
Attorney General's designation of Rwanda under the Temporary Protected 
Status (``TPS'') program provided for in section 244 of the Immigration 
and Naturality Act, as amended (``the Act''). Accordingly, eligible 
aliens who are nationals of Rwanda (and eligible aliens who have no 
nationality and last habitually resided in Rwanda) may re-register for 
TPS and extension of employment authorization for a final 6-month 
period. This re-registration is limited to persons who registered for 
the initial period of TPS which ended on June 6, 1995.

EFFECTIVE DATES: This notice of termination of the Temporary Protected 
Status designation for Rwanda is effective on June 7, 1997. The TPS 
designation for Rwanda will remain in effect from June 7 to December 6, 
1997. The main re-registration procedures become effective on June 19, 
1997., and will remain in effect until July 18, 1997.

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: Section 308(b)(7) of Public Law 104-208 
(September 30, 1996) renumbered section 244A of the Act as 244 of the 
Act. Under this section, the Attorney General continues to be 
authorized to grant TPS 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 other 
extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent nationals or 
residents of the country from returning to it in safety.
    On June 7, 1994, the Attorney General designated Rwanda for 
Temporary Protected Status for a period of 12 months. 59 FR 29440. On 
May 25, 1995, the Attorney General extended the designation of Rwanda 
under the TPS program for an additional 12-month period until June 6, 
1996. 60 FR 27790. Subsequently, the Attorney General extended the 
designation of Rwanda under the TPS program for additional 6-month 
periods until June 6, 1997. 61 FR 29428 and 61 FR 58425.
    Section 244(b)(3)(A) of the Act requires the Attorney General to 
review, at least 60 days before the end of the initial period of 
designation or any extended period of designation, the conditions in a 
state designated under section 244(b)(1) of the Act. The section also 
requires the Attorney General to determine whether the requirements for 
such a designation continue to be met, and to terminate the state's 
designation when the Attorney General determines that those 
requirements are not met.
    This notice terminates the designation of Rwanda under the TPS 
program. In accordance with section 244(b)(3) (B) and (C) of the Act, 
this termination will be effective on December 6, 1997, following the 
final 6-month extension granted by this notice. This notice also 
describes the procedures with which eligible aliens who are nationals 
of Rwanda (or who have no nationality and who last habitually resided 
in Rwanda) must comply in order to re-register for TPS during this 
final 6-month period.
    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 
244.2(f)(2), formerly 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.
    The Immigration and Naturalization Service requires all TPS 
registrants to submit Form (I-765, Application for Employment 
Authorization, for data-gathering purposes. Therefore, a Form I-765 
must always be submitted with the Application for Temporary Protected 
Status, Form I-821, as part of either a re-registration or late initial 
registration, even if employment authorization is not requested. 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.

Notice of Termination of Designation of Rwanda Under the TPS Program

    By the authority vested in me as Attorney General under section 244 
of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1254), as amended, and pursuant to section 
244(b)(3) 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.
    As a result of these consultations, I have determined that Rwanda 
no longer continues to meet the conditions for designation of TPS under 
section

[[Page 33443]]

244(b)(1) of the Act. The situation in Rwanda has greatly improved 
since the designation of TPS in 1994. The return of comparative 
stability throughout most of Rwanda has led the U.S. Government to 
strongly encourage the repatriation of Rwandan refugees from 
neighboring countries. During the last half of 1996 and the beginning 
of 1997, approximately 1.3 million refugees returned to Rwanda. The 
ability of so many to return in relative safety demonstrates the end of 
the extraordinary circumstances that existed in 1994.
    While other avenues of immigration relief, including asylum, remain 
available to Rwandans in the United States who believe that their 
particular circumstances make return to Rwanda unsafe, we have 
determined that TPS is no longer appropriate for Rwandans in general. 
Accordingly, it is ordered as follows:
    (1) The TPS designation of Rwanda under section 244(b)(3) of the 
Act is extended for a final 6-month period starting June 7, 1997, and 
terminating December 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 are 
eligible for the final 6-month period of re-registration.
    (3) In Order to maintain current registration for TPS, 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 244.17, 
formerly 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 has been granted TPS and wishes 
to maintain that status 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 [June 19, 1997], and ending on [July 18, 1997], in 
order to be eligible for TPS during the period from June 7 to December 
6, 1997. Late re-registration applications will be allowed pursuant to 
8 CFR 244.17(c), formerly 8 CFR 240.17(c).
    (5) There is no fee for Form I-821 filed as part of the re-
registration application. A Form I-765 must be filed at the same time. 
If the alien requests employment authorization for the 6-month 
extension period, the fee prescribed in 8 CFR 103.7(b)(1), currently 
seventy dollars ($70), must accompany the Form I-765. An alien who does 
not request employment authorization must nonetheless file Form I-765 
together with Form I-821, but in such cases no fee will be charged.
    (6) 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: June 12, 1997.
Janet Reno,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. 97-16050 Filed 6-18-97; 8:45 am]
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