Department of Homeland Security August 21, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is extending the designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, beginning on October 20, 2023, and ending on April 19, 2025. This extension allows existing TPS beneficiaries to retain TPS through April 19, 2025, so long as they otherwise continue to meet the eligibility requirements for TPS. Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status through April 19, 2025, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period described in this notice. The Secretary is also redesignating Ukraine for TPS. The redesignation of Ukraine allows additional Ukrainian nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine) who have been continuously residing in the United States since August 16, 2023, to apply for TPS for the first time during the initial registration period described under the redesignation information in this notice. In addition to demonstrating continuous residence in the United States since August 16, 2023, and meeting other eligibility criteria, initial applicants for TPS under this designation must demonstrate that they have been continuously physically present in the United States since October 20, 2023, the effective date of this redesignation of Ukraine for TPS.

This notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is suspending certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students whose country of citizenship is Sudan, regardless of country of birth (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan), and who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Sudan. The Secretary is taking action to provide relief to these Sudanese students who are in lawful F-1 nonimmigrant student status, so the students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 nonimmigrant student status. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will deem an F-1 nonimmigrant student granted employment authorization by means of this notice to be engaged in a ``full course of study'' for the duration of the employment authorization, if the nonimmigrant student satisfies the minimum course load requirement described in this notice.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters on the St. Clair River in Algonac, MI. The safety zone is necessary and intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with fireworks displays created by the Youth for the Future organization. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit, or his designated representative.

We, the Coast Guard, have received requests to remove a vessel traffic routing measure, which is known as the ``Smith Point Traffic Separation Scheme'' (TSS) and depicted on the nautical charts of the Chesapeake Bay. If there is no longer a need for this measure, we would request that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which produces the nation's nautical charts, remove the TSS from these charts and take out language regarding the TSS from the applicable Coast Pilot. We would then make conforming changes to the buoy that marks the turning point in the separation zone of the TSS. We are seeking comments on whether there is any continued need for this vessel traffic routing measure before we do so.