[110th Congress Public Law 36]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


[DOCID: f:publ036.110]

[[Page 121 STAT. 227]]

Public Law 110-36
110th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To increase the number of Iraqi and Afghani translators and interpreters 
who may be admitted to the United States as special immigrants, and for 
          other purposes. <<NOTE: June 15, 2007 -  [S. 1104]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR CERTAIN ALIENS SERVING AS 
            TRANSLATORS OR INTERPRETERS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Increase in Numbers Admitted.--Section 1059 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1101 note) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``as a 
                translator'' and inserting ``, or under Chief of Mission 
                authority, as a translator or interpreter'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``the Chief of 
                Mission or'' after ``recommendation from''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``the Chief of 
                Mission or'' after ``as determined by''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``section during any 
        fiscal year shall not exceed 50.'' and inserting the following: 
        ``section--
                    ``(A) during each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008, 
                shall not exceed 500; and
                    ``(B) during any other fiscal year shall not exceed 
                50.''.

    (b) Aliens Exempt From Employment-Based Numerical Limitations.--
Section 1059(c)(2) of such Act is amended--
            (1) by amending the paragraph designation and heading to 
        read as follows:
            ``(2) Aliens exempt from employment-based numerical 
        limitations.--''; and
            (2) by inserting ``and shall not be counted against the 
        numerical limitations under sections 201(d), 202(a), and 
        203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1151(d), 1152(a), and 1153(b)(4))'' before the period at the 
        end.

    (c) Adjustment of Status; Naturalization.--Section 1059 of such Act 
is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

    ``(d) Adjustment of Status.--Notwithstanding paragraphs (2), (7) and 
(8) of section 245(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1255(c)), the Secretary of Homeland Security may adjust the status of an 
alien to that of a lawful permanent resident under section 245(a) of 
such Act if the alien--

[[Page 121 STAT. 228]]

            ``(1) was paroled or admitted as a nonimmigrant into the 
        United States; and
            ``(2) is otherwise eligible for special immigrant status 
        under this section and under the Immigration and Nationality 
        Act.

    ``(e) Naturalization.--
            ``(1) In general.--An absence from the United States 
        described in paragraph (2) shall not be considered to break any 
        period for which continuous residence in the United States is 
        required for naturalization under title III of the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.).
            ``(2) Absence described.--An absence described in this 
        paragraph is an absence from the United States due to a person's 
        employment by the Chief of Mission or United States Armed 
        Forces, under contract with the Chief of Mission or United 
        States Armed Forces, or by a firm or corporation under contract 
        with the Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces, if--
                    ``(A) such employment involved working with the 
                Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a 
                translator or interpreter; and
                    ``(B) the person spent at least a portion of the 
                time outside of the United States working directly with 
                the Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a 
                translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan.''.

    Approved June 15, 2007.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 1104:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 110-158 (Comm. on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 153 (2007):
            Apr. 12, considered and passed Senate.
            May 22, considered and passed House, amended.
            May 24, Senate concurred in House amendments.

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