[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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