I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 161 

To designate Venezuela under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality 

Act to permit nationals of Venezuela to be eligible for temporary protected status under such section, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2021 

Mr. SOTO (for himself, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, and Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 

Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To designate Venezuela under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit nationals of Venezuela 

to be eligible for temporary protected status under such 

section, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Venezuela TPS Act 

5 of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION FOR PURPOSES OF GRANTING TEM2 PORARY PROTECTED STATUS. 

3 (a) DESIGNATION.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of section 244 

5 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

6 1254a), Venezuela shall be treated as if it had been 

7 designated under subsection (b)(1)(C) of that sec8 tion, subject to the provisions of this section. 

9 (2) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—The initial pe10 riod of the designation referred to in paragraph (1) 

11 shall be for the 18-month period beginning on the 

12 date of the enactment of this Act. 

13 (b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE.—As a result of the designa14 tion made under subsection (a), an alien who is a national 

15 of Venezuela is deemed to satisfy the requirements under 

16 paragraph (1) of section 244(c) of the Immigration and 

17 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(c)), subject to paragraph 

18 (3) of such section, if the alien— 

19 (1) has been continuously physically present in 

20 the United States since the date of the enactment of 

21 this Act; 

22 (2) is admissible as an immigrant, except as 

23 otherwise provided in paragraph (2)(A) of such sec24 tion, and is not ineligible for temporary protected 

25 status under paragraph (2)(B) of such section; and 


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1 (3) registers for temporary protected status in 

2 a manner established by the Secretary of Homeland 

3 Security. 

4 (c) CONSENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 

6 Security shall give prior consent to travel abroad, in 

7 accordance with section 244(f)(3) of the Immigra8 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3)), to 

9 an alien who is granted temporary protected status 

10 pursuant to the designation made under subsection 

11 (a) if the alien establishes to the satisfaction of the 

12 Secretary of Homeland Security that emergency and 

13 extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the 

14 alien require the alien to depart for a brief, tem15 porary trip abroad. 

16 (2) TREATMENT UPON RETURN.—An alien re17 turning to the United States in accordance with an 

18 authorization described in paragraph (1) shall be 

19 treated as any other returning alien provided tem20 porary protected status under section 244 of the Im21 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a). 

22 (d) FEE.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to any other fee 

24 authorized by law, the Secretary of Homeland Secu25 rity is authorized to charge and collect a fee of $360 


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1 for each application for temporary protected status 

2 under section 244 of the Immigration and Nation3 ality Act by a person who is only eligible for such 

4 status by reason of subsection (a). 

5 (2) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Homeland Se6 curity shall permit aliens to apply for a waiver of 

7 any fees associated with filing an application re8 ferred to in paragraph (1). 

9 SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

10 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

11 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

12 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

13 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

14 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

15 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro16 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

17 vote on passage. 

Æ 


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