I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8793 

To designate Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala under section 244 of 

the Immigration and Nationality Act, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 19, 2020 

Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. SIRES, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. WATSON

COLEMAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. MENG, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Ms. 

ESCOBAR, Ms. NORTON, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. TITUS, Ms. 

GARCIA of Texas, Mrs. TORRES of California, Mr. WELCH, Mrs. 

DEMINGS, Mr. TAKANO, and Mr. PALLONE) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To designate Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala under 

section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 

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 ‘‘Hurricane Eta Relief 

5 Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION FOR PURPOSES OF GRANTING TEM7 PORARY PROTECTED STATUS. 

8 (a) DESIGNATION.— 


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

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

3 1254a), the countries described in paragraph (2) 

4 shall be treated as if each had been designated 

5 under subsection (b)(1)(B) of that section, subject to 

6 the provisions of this section. 

7 (2) COUNTRIES.—The countries described in 

8 this paragraph are the following: 

9 (A) Nicaragua. 

10 (B) Honduras. 

11 (C) Guatemala. 

12 (3) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—The initial pe13 riod of the designation referred to in paragraph (1) 

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

15 date of the enactment of this Act. 

16 (b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE.—As a result of the designa17 tion made under subsection (a), an alien who is a national 

18 of any country described in paragraph (2) is deemed to 

19 satisfy the requirements under paragraph (1) of section 

20 244(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

21 1254a(c)), subject to paragraph (3) of such section, if the 

22 alien— 

23 (1) has been continuously physically present in 

24 the United States since the date of the enactment of 

25 this Act; 


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

2 otherwise provided in paragraph (2)(A) of such sec3 tion, and is not ineligible for temporary protected 

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

5 (3) registers for temporary protected status in 

6 a manner established by the Secretary of Homeland 

7 Security. 

8 (c) CONSENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD.— 

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

10 Security shall give prior consent to travel abroad, in 

11 accordance with section 244(f)(3) of the Immigra12 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3)), to 

13 an alien who is granted temporary protected status 

14 pursuant to the designation made under subsection 

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

16 Secretary of Homeland Security that emergency and 

17 extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the 

18 alien require the alien to depart for a brief, tem19 porary trip abroad. 

20 (2) TREATMENT UPON RETURN.—An alien re21 turning to the United States in accordance with an 

22 authorization described in paragraph (1) shall be 

23 treated as any other returning alien provided temVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:08 Nov 30, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8793.IH H8793

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1 porary protected status under section 244 of the Im2 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a). 

Æ 


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