Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program Act, 72298 [E8-28224]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 72298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28224]



Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 229 / Wednesday, November 26, 2008 / 
Notices

[[Page 72298]]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[CIS No. 2465-08; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2008-0074]


Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program Act

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious 
Worker Program Act, Public Law 110-391, this notice announces that the 
Secretary of Homeland Security has issued final regulations to 
eliminate or reduce fraud related to the granting of special immigrant 
status for nonminister religious workers. Those regulations became 
effective upon publication in today's issue of the Federal Register.

DATES: This notice is effective November 26, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emisa Tamanaha, Adjudications Officer, 
Service Center Operations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 
Department of Homeland Security, 20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20529, telephone (202) 272-1505.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(b)(4) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (Act), 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(4), provides for the admission 
as special immigrants of individuals who qualify as professional or 
other religious workers in a religious vocation or occupation as 
defined at sections 101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and (III) of the Act, 8 
U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and (III). These provisions, originally 
enacted in 1990, have been extended multiple times and last expired on 
October 1, 2008.
    On October 10, 2008, President Bush signed the Special Immigrant 
Nonminister Religious Worker Program Act, Public Law 110-391. Section 
(2)(a) of Public Law 110-391 amended subclauses (II) and (III) of 
section 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) of the Act, by extending the October 1, 2008, 
expiration date to March 6, 2009. Section (2)(b) of Public Law 110-391 
requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to (1) Issue final 
regulations to eliminate or reduce fraud related to the granting of 
special immigrant status to nonminister religious workers; (2) submit a 
certification to Congress that such regulations have been issued and 
are in effect; (3) publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing 
that the regulations have been issued and are in effect. Section (2)(d) 
of Public Law 110-391 prescribes that the statutory extension of the 
nonminister classifications is not effective until the certification to 
Congress is submitted.
    On November 26, 2008, the Secretary of Homeland Security published 
final regulations to eliminate or reduce fraud in the entire religious 
worker program. These regulations address both the nonimmigrant 
religious worker classification and the special immigrant religious 
worker classification, including nonministers as defined at section 
101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and (III) of the Act. The regulations are 
effective on November 26, 2008.
    This notice is issued in compliance with section (2)(b)(2) of 
Public Law 110-391 to certify that the regulations have been published 
and are in effect.

    Dated: November 21, 2008.
Michael Chertoff,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-28224 Filed 11-25-08; 8:45 am]
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