114 STAT. 1442 PUBLIC LAW 106–378—OCT. 27, 2000

Public Law 106–378

106th Congress

An Act

To provide for the adjustment of status of certain Syrian nationals.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds as follows:

(1) President Bush and President Clinton successively conducted successful negotiations with the Government of Syria

to bring about the release of members of the Syrian Jewish

population and their immigration to the United States.

(2) In order to accommodate the Syrian Government, the

United States was required to admit these aliens by first

granting them temporary nonimmigrant visas and subsequently

granting them asylum, rather than admitting them as refugees

(as is ordinarily done when the United States grants refuge

to members of a persecuted alien minority group).

(3) The asylee status of these aliens has resulted in a

long and unnecessary delay in their adjustment to lawful

permanent resident status that would not have been encountered had they been admitted as refugees.

(4) This delay has impaired these aliens’ ability to work

in their chosen professions, travel freely, and apply for naturalization.

(5) The Attorney General should act without further delay

to grant lawful permanent resident status to these aliens in

accordance with section 2.

SEC. 2. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS OF CERTAIN SYRIAN NATIONALS.

(a) ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.—Subject to subsection (c), the

Attorney General shall adjust the status of an alien described

in subsection (b) to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent

residence, if the alien—

(1) applies for adjustment of status under this section not

later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act

or applied for adjustment of status under the Immigration

and Nationality Act before the date of the enactment of this

Act;

(2) has been physically present in the United States for

at least 1 year after being granted asylum;

(3) is not firmly resettled in any foreign country; and

(4) is admissible as an immigrant under the Immigration

and Nationality Act at the time of examination for adjustment

of such alien.

8 USC 1255 note.

Oct. 27, 2000

[H.R. 4681]

PUBLIC LAW 106–378—OCT. 27, 2000 114 STAT. 1443

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4681:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000):

July 11, considered and passed House.

Oct. 13, considered and passed Senate.

Æ

(b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE FOR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.—The benefits

provided by subsection (a) shall apply to any alien—

(1) who—

(A) is a Jewish national of Syria;

(B) arrived in the United States after December 31,

1991, after being permitted by the Syrian Government

to depart from Syria; and

(C) is physically present in the United States at the

time of filing the application described in subsection (a)(1);

or

(2) who is the spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter

of an alien described in paragraph (1).

(c) NUMERICAL LIMITATION.—The total number of aliens whose

status may be adjusted under this section may not exceed 2,000.

(d) RECORD OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE.—Upon approval of an

application for adjustment of status under this section, the Attorney

General shall establish a record of the alien’s admission for lawful

permanent residence as of the date 1 year before the date of

the approval of the application.

(e) AVAILABILITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.—The Attorney

General shall provide to applicants for adjustment of status under

subsection (a) the same right to, and procedures for, administrative

review as are provided to applicants for adjustment of status under

section 209(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.

1159(b)).

(f ) NO OFFSET IN NUMBER OF VISAS AVAILABLE.—Whenever

an alien is granted the status of having been lawfully admitted

for permanent residence pursuant to this section, the Secretary

of State shall not be required to reduce the number of immigrant

visas authorized to be issued under any provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(g) APPLICATION OF IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT PROVISIONS.—The definitions contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act shall apply in the administration of this section. The

fact that an alien may be eligible to be granted the status of

having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence under this

section shall not preclude the alien from seeking such status under

any other provision of law for which the alien may be eligible.

Approved October 27, 2000.

Applicability.