Extension of Re-Registration Periods for Extensions of the Temporary Protected Status Designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan, 86665-86667 [2023-27342]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2023 / Notices today, the TSS is an impediment to safe navigation in the area. The TSS identifies separate northbound and southbound travel lanes which accommodated both lanes of vessel traffic in 1969, given the size of vessels operating in the area then. Today, however, vessels with deeper drafts, which are limited to operating in the waters the TSS covers, travel in the area, and they must travel in opposing lanes to avoid the risk of grounding. The comment, and supporting documents, are available in the public docket and can be viewed at https:// www.regulation.gov. To view documents, in the ‘‘Search’’ box insert ‘‘USCG–2023–0330’’ and click ‘‘Search.’’ Then select ‘‘Supporting & Related Material’’ in the Document Type column. The Smith Point TSS no longer serves a useful purpose, and the notice of inquiry USCG published in August confirms that there are no concerns from the public about removing it and therefore the USCG has decided to move forward with the removal of the vessel traffic routing measure. III. Authority and Action To Be Taken lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Under 46 U.S.C. 70001(a)(4), as delegated, USCG may control vessel traffic in areas subject to the jurisdiction of the United States that it determines to be hazardous by, among other means, establishing vessel traffic routing schemes. Based on the analysis of historical vessel traffic patterns and the comment received, the Coast Guard will: 1. Request NOAA remove the Smith Point TSS chart feature from all applicable charts and update the U.S. Coast Pilot to remove the TSS and reflect changes to the on-scene navigational buoy the USCG will deploy. 2. Change the Smith Point Fairway Lighted Buoy SP (LLNR 7490) to Smith Point Lighted Buoy SP, a white and red striped Safe Water Buoy and the light will be changed from a yellow to white with a Morse Code ‘‘A’’ flash characteristic. Dated: December 8, 2023. Shannon N. Gilreath, Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District. [FR Doc. 2023–27440 Filed 12–13–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–04–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:39 Dec 13, 2023 Jkt 262001 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services [CIS No. 2760–23; DHS Docket No. USCIS– 2023–0013] RIN 1615–ZC06 Extension of Re-Registration Periods for Extensions of the Temporary Protected Status Designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ACTION: Notice of extension of reregistration periods for extensions of the Temporary Protected Status designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. AGENCY: Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is extending the re-registration periods for the extensions of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan from 60 days to the full 18-month designation extension period of each country. Beneficiaries must re-register to receive TPS benefits under the most recent designation extensions for these countries. DATES: The re-registration period for individuals to submit TPS applications under the designation of: • El Salvador is July 12, 2023, through March 9, 2025; • Haiti is January 26, 2023, through August 3, 2024; • Honduras is November 6, 2023, through July 5, 2025; • Nepal is October 24, 2023, through June 24, 2025; • Nicaragua is November 6, 2023, through July 5, 2025; and • Sudan is August 21, 2023, through April 19, 2025. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: • You may contact Rena´ CutlipMason, Chief, Humanitarian Affairs Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, by mail at 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746, or by phone at 800–375–5283. • For further information on TPS, including guidance on the registration process and additional information on eligibility, please visit the USCIS TPS SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 86665 web page at https://uscis.gov/tps. You can find specific information about each country’s TPS designation by selecting the name of the country from the menu on the left side of the TPS web page. • If you have additional questions about TPS, please visit https://uscis.gov/ tools. Our online virtual assistant, Emma, can answer many of your questions and point you to additional information on our website. If you are unable to find your answers there, you may also call our USCIS Contact Center at 800–375–5283 (TTY 800–767–1833). • Applicants seeking information about the status of their individual cases may check Case Status Online, available on the USCIS website at uscis.gov, or visit the USCIS Contact Center at https://uscis.gov/contactcenter. • Further information will also be available at local USCIS offices upon publication of this notice. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Abbreviations DHS U.S. Department of Homeland Security EAD Employment Authorization Document Form I–765 Application for Employment Authorization Form I–821 Application for Temporary Protected Status FR Federal Register INA Immigration and Nationality Act Secretary Secretary of Homeland Security TPS Temporary Protected Status TTY Text Telephone USCIS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Purpose of This Action (TPS) The re-registration period extensions apply to the following Federal Register notices: Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of El Salvador for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for El Salvador, 88 FR 40282 (June 21, 2023). The 18-month re-registration period now runs from July 12, 2023, through March 9, 2025. Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, 88 FR 5022 (January 26, 2023). The reregistration period now runs from January 26, 2023, through August 3, 2024. Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Honduras, 88 FR 40304 (June 21, 2023). The 18-month re-registration period now runs from November 6, 2023, through July 5, 2025. E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM 14DEN1 86666 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2023 / Notices lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Nepal, 88 FR 40317 (June 21, 2023). The 18-month reregistration period now runs from October 24, 2023, through June 24, 2025. Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Nicaragua, 88 FR 40294 (June 21, 2023). The 18-month re-registration period now runs from November 6, 2023, through July 5, 2025. Extension and Redesignation of Sudan for Temporary Protected Status, 88 FR 56864 (August 21, 2023). The reregistration period now runs from August 21, 2023, through April 19, 2025. Through this notice, DHS sets forth updated re-registration periods from 60 days to 18 months for the extensions of the TPS designations for El Salvador,1 Haiti,2 Honduras,3 Nepal,4 Nicaragua,5 and Sudan 6 as specified in this notice. See section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1254a; 8 CFR 244.17. This will allow individuals to submit a re-registration application for TPS and an application for employment authorization documentation (if desired), during the full length of the relevant country’s TPS designation extension. DHS is extending the re-registration periods for a number of reasons, including that certain beneficiaries have not been required to re-register for TPS for several years due to pending litigation and related continuation of their documentation, confusion within 1 Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of El Salvador for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for El Salvador, 88 FR 40282 (June 21, 2023). 2 Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, 88 FR 5022 (Jan. 26, 2023). 3 Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Honduras, 88 FR 40304 (June 21, 2023). 4 Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Nepal, 88 FR 40317 (June 21, 2023). 5 Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Nicaragua, 88 FR 40294 (June 21, 2023). 6 Extension and Redesignation of Sudan for Temporary Protected Status, 88 FR 56864 (Aug. 21, 2023). VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:39 Dec 13, 2023 Jkt 262001 the beneficiary population, and operational considerations for USCIS. Historically, the length of the reregistration period has typically been 60 days.7 Beneficiaries of TPS have typically re-registered for TPS within a 60-day period on a recurring basis at the end of their country’s designation approximately every 12 to 18 months as announced by Federal Register notices that extended the designation. However, certain beneficiaries under these TPS designations have not been required to re-register for TPS for several years due to a series of DHS-issued Federal Register notices that continued the documentation for beneficiaries of TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal pursuant to ongoing litigation.8 Those beneficiaries must re-register to receive TPS benefits under the most recent extensions. After reevaluating the initial 60-day re-registration periods announced for TPS under the designation extensions for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal, DHS has determined that it will provide the full designation extension periods for applicants to file their re-registration Form I–821 and Form I–765 to obtain an EAD, if desired. Limiting the reregistration period to 60 days for these particular beneficiaries may place a burden on applicants who are unable to timely file but would otherwise be eligible to re-register for TPS, particularly in light of the ongoing litigation and the resulting overlapping periods of TPS validity announced in several Federal Register notices, which may be confusing to some current beneficiaries. This notice allows beneficiaries of these countries who have not been required to re-register for TPS since their last extension to reregister over the full TPS designation period.9 Prior to the currently required re-registration, beneficiaries under these designations 10 were last required to reregister from July 8, 2016, through September 6, 2016, under El Salvador’s designation,11 from May 16, 2016, through July 15, 2016, under Nicaragua’s and Honduras’s designations,12 and from October 26, 2016, through December 27, 2016, under Nepal’s designation.13 As discussed previously, due to unique circumstances, including protracted litigation, these TPS 7 DHS has previously provided a re-registration period for longer than 60 days. See, e.g., Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, 76 FR 29000 (May 19, 2011) (providing a 90day re-registration period for Haiti TPS). Additionally, DHS has previously extended a reregistration period. See, e.g., Extension of the ReRegistration Period for Haiti Temporary Protected Status, 79 FR 25141 (May 2, 2014) (providing an extension of the re-registration period for Haiti TPS in order to maximize re-registration opportunities for eligible beneficiaries. At the time, USCIS had received a low proportion of the expected number of re-registration applications, and stakeholders reported that the low number of re-registration applications may have been due to confusion about the re-registration deadline). Similarly, DHS is providing applicants under these designations extended re-registration periods to address the several year gap in the typical re-registration requirements. 8 TPS termination decisions were announced for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal in 2017–2018. Lawsuits challenging the terminations were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Ramos v. Nielsen, 326 F. Supp. 3d 1075 (N.D. Cal. 2018), and Bhattarai v. Nielsen, No. 19–cv–00731 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 12, 2019), and in the U.S. U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Saget v. Trump, 375 F. Supp. 3d 280 (E.D.N.Y. 2019). DHS has taken actions to ensure its continued compliance with the court orders in Ramos and Bhattarai. DHS has published periodic notices to continue TPS and extend the validity of TPS-related documentation previously issued to beneficiaries under the TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal. See 83 FR 54764 (Oct. 31, 2018); 84 FR 7103 (Mar. 1, 2019); 84 FR 20647 (May 10, 2019) (correction notice issued at 84 FR 23578 (May 22, 2019)); 84 FR 59403 (Nov. 4, 2019); 85 FR 79208 (Dec. 9, 2020); 86 FR 50725 (Sept. 10, 2021) (correction notice issued at 86 FR 52694 (Sept. 22, 2021)); 87 FR 68717 (Nov. 16, 2022). 9 Re-registrants under TPS Haiti and Sudan, including beneficiaries who initially obtained TPS under the 2021 and 2022 designations of TPS for Haiti and Sudan, may file during the entire designation re-registration period as noted in this notice. 10 Haiti and Sudan were newly designated for TPS in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Prior to the new designation of TPS for Haiti on August 3, 2021, beneficiaries under the Haiti designation were last required to re-register from May 24, 2017, through July 24, 2017. See Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, 82 FR 23830 (July 23, 2017). Prior to the new designation of TPS for Sudan on April 19, 2022, beneficiaries under the Sudan designation were last required to re-register from January 25, 2016, through March 25, 2016. See Extension and Redesignation of Sudan for Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 4045 (January 25, 2016). 11 Extension of the Designation of El Salvador for Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 44645 (July 8, 2016). 12 Extension of the Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 30325 (May 16, 2016). Extension of the Designation of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 30331 (May 16, 2016). Following the last extension of TPS for Honduras, former Acting Secretary Elaine Duke did not make a decision on extending or terminating Honduras’s TPS designation by the statutory deadline, resulting in an automatic 6-month extension of the designation, through July 5, 2018. See Extension of the Designation of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status, 82 FR 59630 (Dec. 15, 2017). If the Secretary makes no decision on extension or termination of a country’s TPS designation by at least 60 days before the expiration of the existing TPS designation, then INA sec. 244(b)(3)(C) requires that the designation be extended an additional six months (or 12 or 18 months in the Secretary’s discretion). 13 Extension of the Designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 74470 (October 26, 2016). PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM 14DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2023 / Notices beneficiaries have been subject to multiple, overlapping periods of potential TPS validity due to the ongoing litigation. They also have not been required to re-register for several years. Therefore, this extended reregistration period allows this population of beneficiaries to more easily comply with the re-registration requirement, which could avoid placing additional burdens on these reregistrants. In addition, permitting reregistration throughout the entirety of the designation extension period could reduce the operational burden on USCIS; reviewing and adjudicating latefiled re-registration applications that may occur as a result of the 60-day period due to lack of awareness of the re-registration requirement that these particular beneficiaries are more likely to experience because of the protracted litigation and subsequent TPS actions to continue documentation, would require additional resources. Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. 2023–27342 Filed 12–13–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9111–97–P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR–7076–N–19] 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public Housing Agency (PHA) 5-Year and Annual Plan; OMB Control No.: 2577–0226 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing (PIH), HUD. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment. SUMMARY: Comments Due Date: February 12, 2024. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection can be submitted within 60 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:39 Dec 13, 2023 Jkt 262001 ‘‘Currently under 60-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. Interested persons are also invited to submit comments regarding this proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and can be sent to: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, REE, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 8210, Washington, DC 20410–5000 or email at PaperworkReductionActOffice@ hud.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Management Analyst, Reports Management Officer, REE, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410; email Colette.Pollard@hud.gov, telephone 202–402–3400. This is not a toll-free number. HUD welcomes and is prepared to receive calls from individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals with speech or communication disabilities. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, please visit https:// www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ telecommunications-relay-service-trs. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A. A. Overview of Information Collection Title of Information Collection: Public Housing Agency (PHA) 5-Year and Annual Plan. OMB Approval Number: 2577–0226. Type of Request: Revision of currently approved collection. Form Number(s): HUD–50075–5Y, HUD–50075–HCV, HUD–50075–HP, HUD–50075–MTW, HUD–50075–SM, HUD–50075–ST, HUD–50077–CR, HUD–50077–CRT–SM HUD–50077–ST– HCV–HP and HUD–50077–SL. Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan was created by section 5A of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437c–1). There are two different PHA Plans: The Five-Year Plan and the Annual Plan. The Five-Year Plan describes the agency’s mission, longrange goals, and objectives for achieving its mission over a five-year period. The Annual PHA Plan is a comprehensive guide to PHA policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. This revision addresses updates to the HUD– PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 86667 50075–HCV form and the automation of all the PHA Plan forms including the Moving to Work (MTW) Supplement for PHAs that joined the MTW Demonstration under the 2016 Appropriations Act (i.e., MTW Expansion). PHA Plans are needed to inform the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), residents, and the public of the PHA’s mission and strategy for serving the needs of low income, very low-income, and extremely low- income families in the PHA’s jurisdiction. This information helps provide accountability to the local community for how PHAs spend their funding and implement their policies. The PHA Plan submission also includes various certifications to confirm that PHAs will abide by all Federal civil rights laws and that the PHA Plan is consistent with the applicable Consolidated Plan. PHA plans also allow HUD to monitor the performance of programs and the performance of the public housing agencies that administer them. Since 2000, HUD has taken several steps to reduce the administrative burden of the PHA Plan submission including the use of streamlined plan submissions for certain PHA based on size and performance. Most recently, the Housing and Economic Reform Act (HERA) removed the requirement for qualified PHAs to submit an annual PHA Plan and to only submit the 5-year Plan. A ‘‘qualified PHA’’ is one that manages 550 or fewer public housing units and vouchers and is not labeled as a troubled public housing agency. Currently, qualified PHA must only submit an annual certification to confirm that they will abide by all Federal civil rights laws. In January 2021 HUD requested from OMB that the PHA Plan collection be reinstated with change. These changes included a new section to accommodate the new requirements of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Rule and the introduction of the MTW Supplement. OMB approved the changes, reinstated the collections and HUD made the new templates available to PHAs on the HUD website as individual word processing files. After publication, HUD made subsequent minor changes to the forms and certifications to remove unnecessary sections, make minor edits and to account for updated or removed regulatory citations. Additionally, HUD took steps to automate the MTW supplement in the Housing Information Portal (HIP). With this current proposed information collection, HUD intends to E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM 14DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86665-86667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27342]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[CIS No. 2760-23; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2023-0013]
RIN 1615-ZC06


Extension of Re-Registration Periods for Extensions of the 
Temporary Protected Status Designations of El Salvador, Haiti, 
Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department 
of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: Notice of extension of re-registration periods for extensions 
of the Temporary Protected Status designations of El Salvador, Haiti, 
Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan.

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SUMMARY: Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 
announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is 
extending the re-registration periods for the extensions of the 
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Haiti, 
Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan from 60 days to the full 18-month 
designation extension period of each country. Beneficiaries must re-
register to receive TPS benefits under the most recent designation 
extensions for these countries.

DATES: The re-registration period for individuals to submit TPS 
applications under the designation of:
     El Salvador is July 12, 2023, through March 9, 2025;
     Haiti is January 26, 2023, through August 3, 2024;
     Honduras is November 6, 2023, through July 5, 2025;
     Nepal is October 24, 2023, through June 24, 2025;
     Nicaragua is November 6, 2023, through July 5, 2025; and
     Sudan is August 21, 2023, through April 19, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
     You may contact Ren[aacute] Cutlip-Mason, Chief, 
Humanitarian Affairs Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, 
by mail at 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746, or by 
phone at 800-375-5283.
     For further information on TPS, including guidance on the 
registration process and additional information on eligibility, please 
visit the USCIS TPS web page at https://uscis.gov/tps. You can find 
specific information about each country's TPS designation by selecting 
the name of the country from the menu on the left side of the TPS web 
page.
     If you have additional questions about TPS, please visit 
https://uscis.gov/tools. Our online virtual assistant, Emma, can answer 
many of your questions and point you to additional information on our 
website. If you are unable to find your answers there, you may also 
call our USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833).
     Applicants seeking information about the status of their 
individual cases may check Case Status Online, available on the USCIS 
website at uscis.gov, or visit the USCIS Contact Center at https://uscis.gov/contactcenter.
     Further information will also be available at local USCIS 
offices upon publication of this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Abbreviations

DHS U.S. Department of Homeland Security
EAD Employment Authorization Document
Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization
Form I-821 Application for Temporary Protected Status
FR Federal Register
INA Immigration and Nationality Act
Secretary Secretary of Homeland Security
TPS Temporary Protected Status
TTY Text Telephone
USCIS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Purpose of This Action (TPS)

    The re-registration period extensions apply to the following 
Federal Register notices:
    Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of 
El Salvador for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary 
Protected Status Designation for El Salvador, 88 FR 40282 (June 21, 
2023). The 18-month re-registration period now runs from July 12, 2023, 
through March 9, 2025.
    Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected 
Status, 88 FR 5022 (January 26, 2023). The re-registration period now 
runs from January 26, 2023, through August 3, 2024.
    Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of 
Honduras for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary 
Protected Status Designation for Honduras, 88 FR 40304 (June 21, 2023). 
The 18-month re-registration period now runs from November 6, 2023, 
through July 5, 2025.

[[Page 86666]]

    Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of 
Nepal for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary 
Protected Status Designation for Nepal, 88 FR 40317 (June 21, 2023). 
The 18-month re-registration period now runs from October 24, 2023, 
through June 24, 2025.
    Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the Designation of 
Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of the Temporary 
Protected Status Designation for Nicaragua, 88 FR 40294 (June 21, 
2023). The 18-month re-registration period now runs from November 6, 
2023, through July 5, 2025.
    Extension and Redesignation of Sudan for Temporary Protected 
Status, 88 FR 56864 (August 21, 2023). The re-registration period now 
runs from August 21, 2023, through April 19, 2025.
    Through this notice, DHS sets forth updated re-registration periods 
from 60 days to 18 months for the extensions of the TPS designations 
for El Salvador,\1\ Haiti,\2\ Honduras,\3\ Nepal,\4\ Nicaragua,\5\ and 
Sudan \6\ as specified in this notice. See section 244 of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1254a; 8 CFR 244.17. 
This will allow individuals to submit a re-registration application for 
TPS and an application for employment authorization documentation (if 
desired), during the full length of the relevant country's TPS 
designation extension.
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    \1\ Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the 
Designation of El Salvador for Temporary Protected Status; Extension 
of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for El Salvador, 88 FR 
40282 (June 21, 2023).
    \2\ Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected 
Status, 88 FR 5022 (Jan. 26, 2023).
    \3\ Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the 
Designation of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of 
the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Honduras, 88 FR 40304 
(June 21, 2023).
    \4\ Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the 
Designation of Nepal for Temporary Protected Status; Extension of 
the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Nepal, 88 FR 40317 
(June 21, 2023).
    \5\ Reconsideration and Rescission of Termination of the 
Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status; Extension 
of the Temporary Protected Status Designation for Nicaragua, 88 FR 
40294 (June 21, 2023).
    \6\ Extension and Redesignation of Sudan for Temporary Protected 
Status, 88 FR 56864 (Aug. 21, 2023).
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    DHS is extending the re-registration periods for a number of 
reasons, including that certain beneficiaries have not been required to 
re-register for TPS for several years due to pending litigation and 
related continuation of their documentation, confusion within the 
beneficiary population, and operational considerations for USCIS. 
Historically, the length of the re-registration period has typically 
been 60 days.\7\ Beneficiaries of TPS have typically re-registered for 
TPS within a 60-day period on a recurring basis at the end of their 
country's designation approximately every 12 to 18 months as announced 
by Federal Register notices that extended the designation. However, 
certain beneficiaries under these TPS designations have not been 
required to re-register for TPS for several years due to a series of 
DHS-issued Federal Register notices that continued the documentation 
for beneficiaries of TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, 
Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal pursuant to ongoing 
litigation.\8\ Those beneficiaries must re-register to receive TPS 
benefits under the most recent extensions.
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    \7\ DHS has previously provided a re-registration period for 
longer than 60 days. See, e.g., Extension and Redesignation of Haiti 
for Temporary Protected Status, 76 FR 29000 (May 19, 2011) 
(providing a 90-day re-registration period for Haiti TPS). 
Additionally, DHS has previously extended a re-registration period. 
See, e.g., Extension of the Re-Registration Period for Haiti 
Temporary Protected Status, 79 FR 25141 (May 2, 2014) (providing an 
extension of the re-registration period for Haiti TPS in order to 
maximize re-registration opportunities for eligible beneficiaries. 
At the time, USCIS had received a low proportion of the expected 
number of re-registration applications, and stakeholders reported 
that the low number of re-registration applications may have been 
due to confusion about the re-registration deadline). Similarly, DHS 
is providing applicants under these designations extended re-
registration periods to address the several year gap in the typical 
re-registration requirements.
    \8\ TPS termination decisions were announced for El Salvador, 
Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal in 2017-2018. Lawsuits 
challenging the terminations were filed in the U.S. District Court 
for the Northern District of California in Ramos v. Nielsen, 326 F. 
Supp. 3d 1075 (N.D. Cal. 2018), and Bhattarai v. Nielsen, No. 19-cv-
00731 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 12, 2019), and in the U.S. U.S. District Court 
for the Eastern District of New York in Saget v. Trump, 375 F. Supp. 
3d 280 (E.D.N.Y. 2019). DHS has taken actions to ensure its 
continued compliance with the court orders in Ramos and Bhattarai. 
DHS has published periodic notices to continue TPS and extend the 
validity of TPS-related documentation previously issued to 
beneficiaries under the TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, 
Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal. See 83 FR 54764 (Oct. 31, 
2018); 84 FR 7103 (Mar. 1, 2019); 84 FR 20647 (May 10, 2019) 
(correction notice issued at 84 FR 23578 (May 22, 2019)); 84 FR 
59403 (Nov. 4, 2019); 85 FR 79208 (Dec. 9, 2020); 86 FR 50725 (Sept. 
10, 2021) (correction notice issued at 86 FR 52694 (Sept. 22, 
2021)); 87 FR 68717 (Nov. 16, 2022).
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    After reevaluating the initial 60-day re-registration periods 
announced for TPS under the designation extensions for El Salvador, 
Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal, DHS has determined that 
it will provide the full designation extension periods for applicants 
to file their re-registration Form I-821 and Form I-765 to obtain an 
EAD, if desired. Limiting the re-registration period to 60 days for 
these particular beneficiaries may place a burden on applicants who are 
unable to timely file but would otherwise be eligible to re-register 
for TPS, particularly in light of the ongoing litigation and the 
resulting overlapping periods of TPS validity announced in several 
Federal Register notices, which may be confusing to some current 
beneficiaries. This notice allows beneficiaries of these countries who 
have not been required to re-register for TPS since their last 
extension to re-register over the full TPS designation period.\9\ Prior 
to the currently required re-registration, beneficiaries under these 
designations \10\ were last required to re-register from July 8, 2016, 
through September 6, 2016, under El Salvador's designation,\11\ from 
May 16, 2016, through July 15, 2016, under Nicaragua's and Honduras's 
designations,\12\ and from October 26, 2016, through December 27, 2016, 
under Nepal's designation.\13\
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    \9\ Re-registrants under TPS Haiti and Sudan, including 
beneficiaries who initially obtained TPS under the 2021 and 2022 
designations of TPS for Haiti and Sudan, may file during the entire 
designation re-registration period as noted in this notice.
    \10\ Haiti and Sudan were newly designated for TPS in 2021 and 
2022, respectively. Prior to the new designation of TPS for Haiti on 
August 3, 2021, beneficiaries under the Haiti designation were last 
required to re-register from May 24, 2017, through July 24, 2017. 
See Extension and Redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected 
Status, 82 FR 23830 (July 23, 2017). Prior to the new designation of 
TPS for Sudan on April 19, 2022, beneficiaries under the Sudan 
designation were last required to re-register from January 25, 2016, 
through March 25, 2016. See Extension and Redesignation of Sudan for 
Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 4045 (January 25, 2016).
    \11\ Extension of the Designation of El Salvador for Temporary 
Protected Status, 81 FR 44645 (July 8, 2016).
    \12\ Extension of the Designation of Nicaragua for Temporary 
Protected Status, 81 FR 30325 (May 16, 2016). Extension of the 
Designation of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 30331 
(May 16, 2016). Following the last extension of TPS for Honduras, 
former Acting Secretary Elaine Duke did not make a decision on 
extending or terminating Honduras's TPS designation by the statutory 
deadline, resulting in an automatic 6-month extension of the 
designation, through July 5, 2018. See Extension of the Designation 
of Honduras for Temporary Protected Status, 82 FR 59630 (Dec. 15, 
2017). If the Secretary makes no decision on extension or 
termination of a country's TPS designation by at least 60 days 
before the expiration of the existing TPS designation, then INA sec. 
244(b)(3)(C) requires that the designation be extended an additional 
six months (or 12 or 18 months in the Secretary's discretion).
    \13\ Extension of the Designation of Nepal for Temporary 
Protected Status, 81 FR 74470 (October 26, 2016).
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    As discussed previously, due to unique circumstances, including 
protracted litigation, these TPS

[[Page 86667]]

beneficiaries have been subject to multiple, overlapping periods of 
potential TPS validity due to the ongoing litigation. They also have 
not been required to re-register for several years. Therefore, this 
extended re-registration period allows this population of beneficiaries 
to more easily comply with the re-registration requirement, which could 
avoid placing additional burdens on these re-registrants. In addition, 
permitting re-registration throughout the entirety of the designation 
extension period could reduce the operational burden on USCIS; 
reviewing and adjudicating late-filed re-registration applications that 
may occur as a result of the 60-day period due to lack of awareness of 
the re-registration requirement that these particular beneficiaries are 
more likely to experience because of the protracted litigation and 
subsequent TPS actions to continue documentation, would require 
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additional resources.

Alejandro N. Mayorkas,
Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2023-27342 Filed 12-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-97-P
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