S. 1104

One Hundred Tenth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,

the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven

An Act

To increase the number of Iraqi and Afghani translators and interpreters who

may be admitted to the United States as special immigrants, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR CERTAIN ALIENS

SERVING AS TRANSLATORS OR INTERPRETERS WITH

FEDERAL AGENCIES.

(a) INCREASE IN NUMBERS ADMITTED.—Section 1059 of the

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (8 U.S.C.

1101 note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(1)—

(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘as a translator’’

and inserting ‘‘, or under Chief of Mission authority, as

a translator or interpreter’’;

(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ‘‘the Chief of

Mission or’’ after ‘‘recommendation from’’; and

(C) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ‘‘the Chief of

Mission or’’ after ‘‘as determined by’’; and

(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘section during any

fiscal year shall not exceed 50.’’ and inserting the following:

‘‘section—

‘‘(A) during each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008,

shall not exceed 500; and

‘‘(B) during any other fiscal year shall not exceed 50.’’.

(b) ALIENS EXEMPT FROM EMPLOYMENT-BASED NUMERICAL

LIMITATIONS.—Section 1059(c)(2) of such Act is amended—

(1) by amending the paragraph designation and heading

to read as follows:

‘‘(2) ALIENS EXEMPT FROM EMPLOYMENT-BASED NUMERICAL

LIMITATIONS.—’’; and

(2) by inserting ‘‘and shall not be counted against the

numerical limitations under sections 201(d), 202(a), and

203(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.

1151(d), 1152(a), and 1153(b)(4))’’ before the period at the end.

(c) ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS; NATURALIZATION.—Section 1059

of such Act is further amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (f); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

‘‘(d) ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (2),

(7) and (8) of section 245(c) of the Immigration and Nationality

Act (8 U.S.C. 1255(c)), the Secretary of Homeland Security may

adjust the status of an alien to that of a lawful permanent resident

under section 245(a) of such Act if the alien—
S. 1104—2

‘‘(1) was paroled or admitted as a nonimmigrant into the

United States; and ‘‘(2) is otherwise eligible for special immigrant status under

this section and under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

‘‘(e) NATURALIZATION.—

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An absence from the United States

described in paragraph (2) shall not be considered to break

any period for which continuous residence in the United States

is required for naturalization under title III of the Immigration

and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.).

‘‘(2) ABSENCE DESCRIBED.—An absence described in this

paragraph is an absence from the United States due to a

person’s employment by the Chief of Mission or United States

Armed Forces, under contract with the Chief of Mission or

United States Armed Forces, or by a firm or corporation under

contract with the Chief of Mission or United States Armed

Forces, if—

‘‘(A) such employment involved working with the Chief

of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator

or interpreter; and

‘‘(B) the person spent at least a portion of the time

outside of the United States working directly with the

Chief of Mission or United States Armed Forces as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan.’’.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.