[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41421-41422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20375]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service
[INS No. 1863-97; AG Order No. 2102-97]
RIN 1115-AE26


Extension of Designation of Somalia Under Temporary Protected 
Status Program

AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice extends, until September 17, 1998, the Attorney 
General's designation of Somalia under the Temporary Protected Status 
(TPS) program provided for in section 244 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act, as amended (Act). Accordingly, eligible aliens who are 
nationals of Somalia (or who have no nationality and who last 
habitually resided in Somalia) may re-register for TPS and extension of 
employment authorization. This re-registration is limited to persons 
who registered for the initial period of TPS, which ended on September 
16, 1992.

DATES: This extension of designation is effective September 18, 1997, 
and will remain in effect until September 17, 1998. The re-registration 
procedures become effective August 19, 1997, and will remain in effect 
until September 17, 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: Subsection 308(b)(7) of Pub. L. 104-208 
(September 30, 1996) renumbered section 244A of the Act as section 244. 
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 certain other extraordinary and 
temporary conditions that prevent nationals or residents of the country 
from returning in safety.
    On September 16, 1991, the Attorney General designated Somalia for 
Temporary Protected Status for a period of 12 months (56 FR 46804). The 
Attorney General extended the designation of Somalia under the TPS 
program for additional 12-month periods until September 17, 1997 (61 FR 
39472).
    This notice extends the designation of Somalia under the Temporary 
Protected Status program for an additional 12 months, in accordance 
with subsections 244(b)(3) (A) and (C) of the Act. This notice also 
describes the procedures with which eligible aliens who are nationals 
of Somalia (or who have no nationality and who last habitually resided 
in Somalia) must comply in order to re-register for TPS.
    In addition to timely re-registrations and late re-registrations 
authorized by this notice's extension of Somalia's TPS designation, 
late initial registrations are possible for some Somalis under 8 CFR 
244.2(f)(2). Such late initial registrants must have been 
``continuously physically present'' in the United States since 
September 16, 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 along with the Application for Temporary Protected 
Status, Form I-821, as part of either a re-registration or a late 
initial registration. 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 
wish to obtain employment authorization. The Immigration and 
Naturalization Service requires TPS registrants to submit Form I-765 
for data-gathering purposes, whether or not work authorization is 
desired.

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

    By the authority vested in me as Attorney General under section 244 
of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1254), and pursuant to subsections 244(b)(3) (A) 
and (C) of the Act, I had consultations with the appropriate agencies 
of the Government concerning (a) the conditions in Somalia; and (b) 
whether permitting nationals of Somalia (and aliens having no 
nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) 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 Somalia 
continue to be met. Accordingly, it is ordered as follows:
    (1) The designation of Somalia under subsection 244(b) of the Act 
is extended for an additional 12-month period from September 18, 1997, 
to September 17, 1998.
    (2) I estimate that there are approximately 350 nationals of 
Somalia (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided 
in Somalia) 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 Somalia (or an alien having no 
nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) who received a 
grant of TPS during the initial period of designation, from September 
16, 1991, to September 16, 1992, must comply with the re-registration 
requirements contained in 8 CFR 244.17, which are described in 
pertinent part in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this notice.
    (4) A national of Somalia (or an alien having no nationality who 
last habitually resided in Somalia) who previously has been granted 
TPS, must re-register by filing a new Application for Temporary 
Protected Status, Form I-821, along with an Application for Employment 
Authorization, Form I-765, within the 30-day period beginning on August 
19, 1997, and ending on September 17, 1997, in order to be eligible for 
Temporary Protected Status during the period from September 18, 1997, 
until September 17, 1998. Late re-registration applications will be 
allowed pursuant to 8 CFR 244.17(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 extension 
period, the fee prescribed in

[[Page 41422]]

8 CFR 103.7(b)(1), currently seventy dollars ($70), or a properly 
documented fee waiver request pursuant to 8 CFR 244.20, must accompany 
the Form I-765. An alien who does not request employment authorization 
must nonetheless file Form I-765 along with Form I-821, but in such 
cases no fee will be charged.
    (6) Pursuant to subsection 244(b)(3)(A) of the Act, the Attorney 
General will review, at least 60 days before September 17, 1998, the 
designation of Somalia 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 Somalia 
(and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in 
Somalia) will be available at local Immigration and Naturalization 
Service offices upon publication of this notice.

    Dated: July 26, 1997.
Janet Reno,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. 97-20375 Filed 7-31-97; 8:45 am]
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