Department of Homeland Security April 20, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As a result of disruptions and uncertainty to the U.S. food agriculture sector during the upcoming summer agricultural season caused by the global novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has decided to temporarily amend the regulations regarding temporary and seasonal agricultural workers, and their U.S. employers, within the H-2A nonimmigrant classification. The Department is temporarily removing certain limitations on agricultural employers and workers in order to provide agricultural employers with an orderly and timely flow of legal foreign workers, thereby protecting the integrity of the nation's food supply chain and decreasing possible reliance on unauthorized aliens, while encouraging agricultural employers' use of the H-2A program, which protects the rights of U.S. and foreign workers. Namely, the Department will allow H-2A employers whose extension of stay H-2A petitions are supported by valid temporary labor certifications (TLCs) issued by the Department of Labor to begin work immediately after the extension of stay petition is received by USCIS. The Department is also temporarily amending its regulations to allow H-2A workers to stay in the United States beyond the 3 years maximum allowable period of stay. DHS will apply this temporary final rule to H-2A petitions requesting an extension of stay, and, if applicable, any associated applications for an extension of stay filed by or on behalf of an H-2A worker, if they were received on or after March 1, 2020 and remain pending as of the effective date of this rule, as well as H-2A petitions for an extension of stay, received on or after the effective date of this rule, ending on the last day this rule is in effect.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of South Carolina (FEMA-4479-DR), dated March 17, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee (FEMA-4476-DR), dated March 5, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of South Dakota (FEMA-4467-DR), dated October 7, 2019, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of South Dakota (FEMA-4440-DR), dated June 7, 2019, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (FEMA-4493-DR), dated March 27, 2020, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of South Carolina (FEMA-4492-DR), dated March 27, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of New York (FEMA-4480-DR), dated March 20, 2020, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Maryland (FEMA-4491-DR), dated March 26, 2020, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard is reopening the comment period for the planned consolidation of redundant Coast Guard boat stations. In response to the request for comments we published February 14, 2020, an interested person asked that we extend the comment period.

This rule identifies communities where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the Federal Register on a subsequent date. Also, information identifying the current participation status of a community can be obtained from FEMA's Community Status Book (CSB). The CSB is available at https:// www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-statu s-book.