Exercise of Authority Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, 51545 [2012-20789]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 51545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20789]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary


Exercise of Authority Under the Immigration and Nationality Act

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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    Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(3)(B)(i).

    Following consultations with the Secretary of State and the 
Attorney General, I hereby conclude, as a matter of discretion in 
accordance with the authority granted to me by section 212(d)(3)(B)(i) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 
1182(d)(3)(B)(i), as amended, as well as the foreign policy and 
national security interests deemed relevant in these consultations, 
that section 212(a)(3)(B) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B), excluding 
subclause (i)(II), shall not apply, with respect to an alien, for any 
activity or association relating to the uprisings against the 
government of Saddam Hussein in Iraq between March 1 and April 5, 1991, 
provided that the alien satisfies the relevant agency authority that 
the alien:
    (a) Is seeking a benefit or protection under the INA and has been 
determined to be otherwise eligible for the benefit or protection;
    (b) Has undergone and passed all relevant background and security 
checks;
    (c) Has fully disclosed, to the best of his or her knowledge, in 
all relevant applications and interviews with U.S. government 
representatives and agents, the nature and circumstances of all 
activities or associations falling within the scope of section 
212(a)(3)(B) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B);
    (d) Has not participated in, or knowingly provided material support 
to, terrorist activities that targeted noncombatant persons not 
affiliated with Saddam Hussein's regime from March 1 through April 5 of 
1991, or U.S. interests;
    (e) Has not engaged in terrorist activity, not otherwise exempted, 
outside the context of resistance activities directed against Saddam 
Hussein's regime from March 1 through April 5 of 1991;
    (f) Poses no danger to the safety and security of the United 
States; and
    (g) Warrants an exemption from the relevant inadmissibility 
provision(s) in the totality of the circumstances.
    Implementation of this determination will be made by U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in consultation with U.S. 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or by U.S. consular 
officers, as applicable, who shall ascertain, to their satisfaction, 
and in their discretion, that the particular applicant meets each of 
the criteria set forth above.
    This exercise of authority may be revoked as a matter of discretion 
and without notice at any time, with respect to any and all persons 
subject to it. Any determination made under this exercise of authority 
as set out above can inform but shall not control a decision regarding 
any subsequent benefit or protection application, unless such exercise 
of authority has been revoked.
    This exercise of authority shall not be construed to prejudice, in 
any way, the ability of the U.S. government to commence subsequent 
criminal or civil proceedings in accordance with U.S. law involving any 
beneficiary of this exercise of authority (or any other person). This 
exercise of authority creates no substantive or procedural right or 
benefit that is legally enforceable by any party against the United 
States or its agencies or officers or any other person.
    In accordance with section 212(d)(3)(B)(ii) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 
1182(d)(3)(B)(ii), a report on the aliens to whom this exercise of 
authority is applied, on the basis of case-by-case decisions by the 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security or by the U.S. Department of 
State, shall be provided to the specified congressional committees not 
later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year.
    This determination is based on an assessment related to the 
national security and foreign policy interests of the United States as 
they apply to the particular persons described herein and shall not 
have any application with respect to other persons or to other 
provisions of U.S. law.

    Dated: August 17, 2012.
Janet Napolitano,
Secretary of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2012-20789 Filed 8-23-12; 8:45 am]
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