Department of Homeland Security June 15, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information collection request as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Currently, the U.S. Secret Service, within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is soliciting comments concerning the SSF 86A, Supplemental Investigative Data.

This interim rule amends Department of Homeland Security regulations to provide that employers and recruiters or referrers for a fee who are required to complete and retain Forms I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, may sign and retain these forms electronically. This interim rule implements statutory changes to the Form I-9 retention requirements by establishing standards for electronic signatures and the electronic retention of the Form I-9.

Prior to a recent determination by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the designation for El Salvador of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was set to expire on September 9, 2006. This Notice alerts the public that TPS for El Salvador has been extended for 12 months, until September 9, 2007, and sets forth procedures for nationals of El Salvador (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in El Salvador) with TPS to re-register and to apply for an extension of their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for the additional 12-month period. Re-registration is limited to persons who registered under the initial designation (which was announced on March 9, 2001) or who ``late initial registered'' and also timely re-registered under each subsequent extension of the designation. In accordance with the original designation, eligible aliens must also have maintained continuous physical presence in the United States since March 9, 2001, and continuous residence in the United States since February 13, 2001. Certain nationals of El Salvador (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in El Salvador) who have not previously applied for TPS may be eligible to apply under the late initial registration provisions. Given the large number of Salvadorans affected by this Notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizes that many re- registrants may not receive an extension sticker or new EAD until after their current EADs expire on September 9, 2006. Accordingly, this Notice automatically extends the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of El Salvador for 6 months until March 9, 2007, and explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended.