69506 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Notices 

your citizenship or immigration status, 

or national origin. 

Note to All Employers 

Employers are reminded that the laws 

requiring proper employment eligibility 

verification and prohibiting unfair 

immigration-related employment 

practices remain in full force. This 

Notice does not supersede or in any way 

limit applicable employment 

verification rules and policy guidance, 

including those rules setting forth 

reverification requirements. For general 

questions about the employment 

eligibility verification process, 

employers may call USCIS at 888–464– 

4218 (TTY 877–875–6028) or email 

USCIS at I-9Central@dhs.gov. Calls and 

emails are accepted in English and 

many other languages. For questions 

about avoiding discrimination during 

the employment eligibility verification 

process, employers may also call the 

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Special Counsel for Immigration-Related 

Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) 

Employer Hotline at 800–255–8155 

(TTY 800–237–2515), which offers 

language interpretation in numerous 

languages, or email OSC at osccrt@

usdoj.gov. 

Note to Employees 

For general questions about the 

employment eligibility verification 

process, employees may call USCIS at 

888–897–7781 (TTY 877–875–6028) or 

email at I-9Central@dhs.gov. Calls are 

accepted in English and many other 

languages. Employees or applicants may 

also call the U.S. Department of Justice, 

Office of Special Counsel for 

Immigration-Related Unfair 

Employment Practices (OSC) Worker 

Information Hotline at 800–255–7688 

(TTY 800–237–2515) for information 

regarding employment discrimination 

based upon citizenship status, 

immigration status, or national origin, or 

for information regarding discrimination 

related to Employment Eligibility 

Verification (Form I–9) and E-Verify. 

The OSC Worker Information Hotline 

provides language interpretation in 

numerous languages. 

To comply with the law, employers 

must accept any document or 

combination of documents from the 

Lists of Acceptable Documents if the 

documentation reasonably appears to be 

genuine and to relate to the employee, 

or an acceptable List A, List B, or List 

C receipt described in the Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9) 

Instructions. Employers may not require 

extra or additional documentation 

beyond what is required for 

Employment Eligibility Verification 

(Form I–9) completion. Further, 

employers participating in E-Verify who 

receive an E-Verify case result of 

‘‘Tentative Nonconfirmation’’ (TNC) 

must promptly inform employees of the 

TNC and give such employees an 

opportunity to contest the TNC. A TNC 

case result means that the information 

entered into E-Verify from Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9) differs 

from federal or state government 

records. 

Employers may not terminate, 

suspend, delay training, withhold pay, 

lower pay or take any adverse action 

against an employee based on the 

employee’s decision to contest a TNC or 

because the case is still pending with EVerify. A Final Nonconfirmation (FNC) 

case result is received when E-Verify 

cannot verify an employee’s 

employment eligibility. An employer 

may terminate employment based on a 

case result of FNC. Work-authorized 

employees who receive an FNC may call 

USCIS for assistance at 888–897–7781 

(TTY 877–875–6028). An employee who 

believes he or she was discriminated 

against by an employer in the E-Verify 

process based on citizenship or 

immigration status, or based on national 

origin, may contact OSC’s Worker 

Information Hotline at 800–255–7688 

(TTY 800–237–2515). Additional 

information about proper 

nondiscriminatory Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9) and EVerify procedures is available on the 

OSC Web site at http://www.justice.gov/ 

crt/about/osc/ and the USCIS Web site 

at http://www.dhs.gov/E-verify. 

Note Regarding Federal, State, and 

Local Government Agencies (Such as 

Departments of Motor Vehicles) 

While Federal Government agencies 

must follow the guidelines laid out by 

the Federal Government, State and local 

government agencies establish their own 

rules and guidelines when granting 

certain benefits. Each State may have 

different laws, requirements, and 

determinations about what documents 

you need to provide to prove eligibility 

for certain benefits. Whether you are 

applying for a Federal, State, or local 

government benefit, you may need to 

provide the government agency with 

documents that show you are a TPS 

beneficiary and/or show you are 

authorized to work based on TPS. 

Examples are: 

(1) Your EAD that has a valid 

expiration date; 

(2) A copy of your Form I–821 

Approval Notice (Form I–797), if you 

receive one from USCIS. 

Check with the government agency 

regarding which document(s) the agency 

will accept. You may also provide the 

agency with a copy of this Federal 

Register Notice. 

Some benefit-granting agencies use 

the USCIS Systematic Alien Verification 

for Entitlements Program (SAVE) to 

verify the current immigration status of 

applicants for public benefits. If such an 

agency has denied your application 

based solely or in part on a SAVE 

response, the agency must offer you the 

opportunity to appeal the decision in 

accordance with the agency’s 

procedures. If the agency has received 

and acted upon or will act upon a SAVE 

verification and you do not believe the 

response is correct, you may make an 

InfoPass appointment for an in-person 

interview at a local USCIS office. 

Detailed information on how to make 

corrections, make an appointment, or 

submit a written request to correct 

records under the Freedom of 

Information Act can be found at the 

SAVE Web site at http://www.uscis.gov/ 

save, then by choosing ‘‘How to Correct 

Your Records’’ from the menu on the 

right. 

[FR Doc. 2014–27772 Filed 11–20–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–97–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services 

[CIS No. 2553–14; DHS Docket No. USCIS– 

2014–0009] 

RIN 1615–ZB34 

Designation of Sierra Leone for 

Temporary Protected Status 

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, Department of 

Homeland Security. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Through this Notice, the 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) announces that the Secretary of 

Homeland Security (Secretary) has 

designated Sierra Leone for Temporary 

Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 

months, effective November 21, 2014 

through May 21, 2016. Under section 

244(b)(1)(C) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1)(C), the Secretary is 

authorized to designate a foreign state 

(or any part thereof) for TPS upon 

finding that the foreign state is 

experiencing extraordinary and 

temporary conditions that prevent its 

nationals from returning in safety and 

that permitting such aliens to remain 

temporarily in the United States is not 

contrary to the national interest. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Notices 69507 

1As of March 1, 2003, in accordance with section 

1517 of title XV of the Homeland Security Act of 

2002, Public Law 107–296, 116 Stat. 2135, any 

reference to the Attorney General in a provision of 

the INA describing functions transferred from the 

Department of Justice to DHS ‘‘shall be deemed to 

refer to the Secretary’’ of Homeland Security. See 

6 U.S.C. 557 (codifying the Homeland Security Act 

of 2002, tit. XV, section 1517). 

This designation allows eligible Sierra 

Leonean nationals (and aliens having no 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in Sierra Leone) who have continuously 

resided in the United States since 

November 20, 2014 and been 

continuously physically present in the 

United States since November 21, 2014 

to be granted TPS. This Notice also 

describes the other eligibility criteria 

applicants must meet. 

Individuals who believe they may 

qualify for TPS under this designation 

may apply within the 180-day 

registration period that begins on 

November 21, 2014 and ends on May 

20, 2015. They may also apply for 

Employment Authorization Documents 

(EADs) and for travel authorization. 

Through this Notice, DHS also sets forth 

the procedures for nationals of Sierra 

Leone (or aliens having no nationality 

who last habitually resided in Sierra 

Leone) to apply for TPS, EADs, and 

travel authorization with U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS). 

Given the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)- 

related basis for the designations of 

Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for 

TPS and ongoing efforts to prevent the 

spread of EVD, requests for advance 

travel authorization (‘‘advance parole’’) 

for travel to one or more of these three 

countries will not be approved, as a 

matter of discretion, absent 

extraordinary circumstances. If you 

depart from the United States without 

obtaining advance parole or you do not 

comply with any conditions that may be 

placed on your advance parole 

document, you may not be permitted to 

re-enter the United States. TPS 

beneficiaries who are granted advance 

parole to travel to Liberia, Guinea or 

Sierra Leone are advised that they, like 

other aliens granted advance parole, are 

not guaranteed parole into the United 

States. A separate decision regarding 

your ability to enter will be made when 

you arrive at a port-of-entry upon your 

return. Individuals considering travel 

outside the United States should visit 

the Department of State’s Web site for 

the most up-to-date information in 

Travel Alerts and Warnings and in the 

Ebola Fact Sheet for Travelers. 

DATES: This designation of Sierra Leone 

for TPS is effective on November 21, 

2014 and will remain in effect through 

May 21, 2016. The 180-day registration 

period for eligible individuals to submit 

TPS applications begins November 21, 

2014, and will remain in effect through 

May 20, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

• For further information on TPS, 

including guidance on the application 

process and additional information on 

eligibility, please visit the USCIS TPS 

Web page at http://www.uscis.gov/tps. 

You can find specific information about 

this designation of Sierra Leone for TPS 

by selecting ‘‘TPS Designated Country: 

Sierra Leone’’ from the menu on the left 

of the TPS Web page. 

• You can also contact the TPS 

Operations Program Manager at the 

Family and Status Branch, Service 

Center Operations Directorate, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

Department of Homeland Security, 20 

Massachusetts Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20529–2060; or by 

phone at (202) 272–1533 (this is not a 

toll-free number). Note: The phone 

number provided here is solely for 

questions regarding this TPS Notice. It 

is not for individual case status 

inquires. 

• Applicants seeking information 

about the status of their individual cases 

can check Case Status Online, available 

at the USCIS Web site at http://

www.uscis.gov, or call the USCIS 

National Customer Service Center at 

800–375–5283 (TTY 800–767–1833). 

Service is available in English and 

Spanish. 

• Further information will also be 

available at local USCIS offices upon 

publication of this Notice. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Abbreviations 

BIA—Board of Immigration Appeals 

DHS—Department of Homeland Security 

DOS—Department of State 

EAD—Employment Authorization Document 

EVD—Ebola Virus Disease 

FNC—Final Nonconfirmation 

IJ—Immigration Judge 

INA—Immigration and Nationality Act 

OSC—U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Special Counsel for Immigration-Related 

Unfair Employment Practices 

SAVE—USCIS Systematic Alien Verification 

for Entitlements Program 

Secretary—Secretary of Homeland Security 

TNC—Tentative Nonconfirmation 

TPS—Temporary Protected Status 

TTY—Text Telephone 

USCIS—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services 

WHO—World Health Organization 

What is Temporary Protected Status 

(TPS)? 

• TPS is a temporary immigration 

status granted to eligible nationals of a 

country designated for TPS under the 

INA, or to eligible persons without 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in the designated country. 

• During the TPS designation period, 

TPS beneficiaries are eligible to remain 

in the United States, may not be 

removed, and are authorized to work 

and to obtain EADs, so long as they 

continue to meet the requirements of 

TPS. 

• TPS beneficiaries may be granted 

travel authorization as a matter of 

discretion. Given the EVD-related basis 

for the designations of Liberia, Guinea, 

and Sierra Leone for TPS and ongoing 

efforts to prevent the spread of EVD, 

requests for advance travel 

authorization (‘‘advance parole’’) for 

travel to one or more of these three 

countries will not be approved, as a 

matter of discretion, absent 

extraordinary circumstances. If you 

depart from the United States without 

obtaining advance parole or you do not 

comply with any conditions that may be 

placed on your advance parole 

document, you may not be permitted to 

re-enter the United States. TPS 

beneficiaries who are granted advance 

parole to travel to Liberia, Guinea or 

Sierra Leone are advised that they, like 

other aliens granted advance parole, are 

not guaranteed parole into the United 

States. A separate decision regarding 

your ability to enter will be made when 

you arrive at a port-of-entry upon your 

return. Individuals considering travel 

outside the United States should visit 

the Department of State’s Web site for 

the most up-to-date information in 

Travel Alerts and Warnings and in the 

Ebola Fact Sheet for Travelers. 

• The granting of TPS does not result 

in or lead to permanent resident status. 

• When the Secretary terminates a 

country’s TPS designation through a 

separate Federal Register notice, 

beneficiaries return to the same 

immigration status they maintained 

before TPS, if any (unless that status has 

since expired or been terminated), or to 

any other lawfully obtained immigration 

status they received while registered for 

TPS. 

What authority does the Secretary have 

to designate Sierra Leone for TPS? 

Section 244(b)(1) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1), authorizes the Secretary, 

after consultation with appropriate U.S. 

Government agencies, to designate a 

foreign state (or part thereof) for TPS if 

the Secretary finds that certain country 

conditions exist.1 The Secretary can 

designate a foreign state for TPS based 

on one of three circumstances. One 

circumstance is if ‘‘there exist 

extraordinary and temporary conditions 

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69508 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Notices 

in the foreign state that prevent aliens 

who are nationals of the state from 

returning to the state in safety, unless 

the [Secretary] finds that permitting the 

aliens to remain temporarily in the 

United States is contrary to the national 

interest of the United States.’’ INA 

section 244(b)(1)(C), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1)(C). 

Following the designation of a foreign 

state for TPS, the Secretary may then 

grant TPS to eligible nationals of that 

foreign state (or aliens having no 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in that state). See INA section 

244(a)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(a)(1)(A). 

Applicants must demonstrate that they 

satisfy all eligibility criteria, including 

that they have been ‘‘continuously 

physically present’’ in the United States 

since the effective date of the 

designation, which is either the date of 

the Federal Register Notice announcing 

the designation or such later date as the 

Secretary may determine, and that they 

have ‘‘continuously resided’’ in the 

United States since such date as the 

Secretary may designate. See INA 

section 244(a)(1)(A), (b)(2)(A), 

(c)(1)(A)(i–ii); 8 U.S.C. 1254a(a)(1)(A), 

(b)(2)(A), (c)(1)(A)(i–ii). 

Why is the Secretary designating Sierra 

Leone for TPS through May 21, 2016? 

The Secretary has determined, after 

consultation with the Department of 

State (DOS) and other appropriate 

Government agencies, that there exist 

extraordinary and temporary conditions 

in Sierra Leone that prevent Sierra 

Leonean nationals (and persons having 

no nationality who last habitually 

resided in Sierra Leone) from returning 

in safety. The Secretary also has 

determined that permitting such aliens 

to remain temporarily in the United 

States would not be contrary to the 

national interest of the United States. 

On November 7, 2014 the World 

Health Organization (WHO) reported 

that as of November 4, 2014 there had 

been 13,241 cases of EVD in Guinea, 

Liberia, and Sierra Leone with 4,950 

deaths, making the 2014 EVD epidemic 

the largest in history. The outbreak 

began in Guinea in March 2014 and 

spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. 

The course of the EVD epidemic 

currently cannot be predicted accurately 

as cases of EVD continue to rise every 

day. As of November 4, 2014 there are 

numerous areas in each of the three 

countries where transmission continues 

to occur at high rates. Large scale efforts 

to control the epidemic in Guinea, 

Liberia, and Sierra Leone are ongoing to 

address these hotspots. As of November 

4, 2014 WHO reported a total of 4,862 

Ebola cases occurring in Sierra Leone, 

resulting in 1,130 deaths. Ebola is a 

highly infectious, severe, and acute viral 

illness with a high fatality rate. 

Although experimental treatments and 

vaccines are under development, there 

are currently no approved vaccines or 

approved antivirals for treatment of the 

disease. It is unlikely that a medical 

vaccine or cure could be produced on a 

large scale in the near future. 

On June 11, 2014, Sierra Leone shut 

its borders to trade with Liberia and 

Guinea and closed schools, cinemas, 

and nightclubs in order to prevent the 

spread of EVD. On July 30, 2014, the 

President of Sierra Leone proclaimed a 

state of public emergency. In order to 

combat the spread of the virus, the 

Sierra Leonean Government established 

new protocols for arriving and departing 

passengers at Freetown-Lungi 

International Airport, instituted 

restrictions on public and other mass 

gatherings, and implemented quarantine 

measures and travel restrictions for 

communities affected by EVD. The 

Government also required all deaths be 

reported before burial, authorized police 

and military personnel to aid in 

enforcing prevention and control 

measures, and directed local 

government officials to establish bylaws to support EVD prevention efforts. 

Between September 19 and 21, 2014, 

Sierra Leone’s Government instituted a 

three-day house-to-house search in an 

attempt to stem the outbreak. The 

Government declared the search a 

success based on the discovery of 

around 100 bodies and 200 suspected 

patients. On October 5, 2014, a third of 

Sierra Leone’s population is reported to 

be under official quarantine. 

In September 2014, the World Bank 

predicted that by the end of 2015, 

Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia could 

potentially lose a total of $809 million 

in their economies due to the West 

African Ebola outbreak. Many countries 

in the region have closed borders and 

implemented travel bans to and from 

Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. 

The EVD epidemic has overwhelmed 

the already weak health care systems in 

Liberia and Sierra Leone, and placed 

Guinea’s system under great strain. As 

of November 4, 2014, the WHO reports 

that, 545 health care workers are known 

to have developed EVD (88 in Guinea, 

318 in Liberia, 11 in Nigeria, and 128 in 

Sierra Leone). Three hundred and 

eleven health care workers have died as 

a result of EVD infection. Fears of 

transmission, overcrowding, and 

inadequate medical and protective 

supplies have resulted in patients 

refraining from seeking care and doctors 

and nurses refusing to work. Individuals 

in these countries are increasingly 

unable to get treatment for preventable 

or treatable conditions, such as malaria, 

diarrheal diseases, and pregnancy 

complications. Maternal and child 

health care is being especially 

undermined. Attempted containment 

measures such as cancellation of airline 

flights, international trade restrictions, 

and disruption to agriculture threaten 

future food shortages and have added to 

the suffering caused by the EVD 

epidemic. 

Based upon this review and after 

consultation with appropriate 

Government agencies, the Secretary 

finds that: 

• Sierra Leonean nationals (and 

persons without nationality who last 

habitually resided in Sierra Leone) 

cannot return to Sierra Leone in safety 

due to extraordinary and temporary 

conditions. See INA section 

244(b)(1)(C), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1)(C); 

• It is not contrary to the national 

interest of the United States to permit 

nationals of Sierra Leone (and persons 

without nationality who last habitually 

resided in Sierra Leone) who meet the 

eligibility requirements of TPS to 

remain in the United States temporarily. 

See INA section 244(b)(1)(C), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1)(C); 

• The designation of Sierra Leone for 

TPS will be for an 18-month period 

from November 21, 2014 through May 

21, 2016. See INA section 244(b)(2), 8 

U.S.C. 1254a(b)(2); 

• Applicants for TPS under the 

designation of Sierra Leone must 

demonstrate that they have been 

continuously residing in the United 

States since November 20, 2014. See 

INA section 244(c)(1)(A)(ii), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(c)(1)(A)(ii); 

• Applicants for TPS under the 

designation of Sierra Leone must 

demonstrate that they have been 

continuously physically present in the 

United States since November 21, 2014, 

the effective date of this designation of 

Sierra Leone for TPS. See INA section 

244(b)(2)(A), (c)(1)(A)(i); 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(2)(A), (c)(1)(A)(i); and 

• An estimated 2,000 nationals of 

Sierra Leone (and persons without 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in Sierra Leone) are (or are likely to 

become) eligible for TPS under this 

designation. 

Notice of the Designation of Sierra 

Leone for TPS 

By the authority vested in me as 

Secretary under INA section 244, 8 

U.S.C. 1254a, after consultation with the 

appropriate U.S. Government agencies, I 

designate Sierra Leone for TPS under 

INA section 244(b)(1)(C), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1)(C), for a period of 18 months 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Notices 69509 

from November 21, 2014 through May 

21, 2016. 

Jeh Charles Johnson, 

Secretary. 

Required Application Forms and 

Application Fees To Register for TPS 

To register for TPS for Sierra Leone, 

an applicant must submit each of the 

following two applications: 

1. Application for Temporary 

Protected Status (Form I–821) with the 

form fee; and 

2. Application for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765). 

• For administrative purposes, an 

applicant must submit an Application 

for Employment Authorization (Form I– 

765) even if no EAD is requested. 

• If you want an EAD you must pay 

the Application for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765) fee only if 

you are age 14 through 65. 

• No application fee for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765) is required 

for an EAD with an initial TPS 

application if you are under the age of 

14 or over the age of 65. 

You must submit both completed 

application forms together. If you are 

unable to pay the required fees, you may 

apply for a waiver for these application 

fees and/or the biometrics services fee 

described below by completing a 

Request for Fee Waiver (Form I–912), or 

submitting a personal letter requesting a 

fee waiver, and providing satisfactory 

supporting documentation. For more 

information on the application forms 

and fees for TPS, please visit the USCIS 

TPS Web page at http://www.uscis.gov/ 

tps. Fees for Application for Temporary 

Protected Status (Form I–821), 

Application for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765), and 

biometric services are also described in 

8 CFR 103.7(b). 

Biometric Services Fee 

Biometrics (such as fingerprints) are 

required for all applicants 14 years of 

age or older. Those applicants must 

submit a biometric services fee. As 

previously stated, if you are unable to 

pay for the biometric services fee, you 

may request a fee waiver by completing 

a Request for Fee Waiver (Form I–912) 

or by submitting a personal letter 

requesting a fee waiver, and providing 

satisfactory supporting documentation. 

For more information on the biometric 

services fee, please visit the USCIS Web 

site at http://www.uscis.gov. If 

necessary, you may be required to visit 

an Application Support Center to have 

your biometrics captured. 

Re-Filing a TPS Application After 

Receiving a Denial of a Fee Waiver 

Request 

If you request a fee waiver when filing 

your TPS and EAD application forms 

and your request is denied, you may 

refile your application packet with the 

correct fees before the filing deadline of 

May 20, 2015. If you attempt to submit 

your application with a fee waiver 

request before the initial filing deadline, 

but you receive your application back 

with the USCIS fee waiver denial, and 

there are fewer than 45 days before the 

filing deadline (or the deadline has 

passed), you may still refile your 

application within the 45-day period 

after the date on the USCIS fee waiver 

denial notice. You must include the 

correct fees, or file a new fee waiver 

request. Your application will not be 

rejected even if the deadline has passed, 

provided it is mailed within those 45 

days and all other required information 

for the application is included. Please 

be aware that if you re-file your TPS 

application packet with a new fee 

waiver request after the deadline based 

on this guidance and that new fee 

waiver request is denied, you cannot refile again. Note: Alternatively, you may 

pay the TPS application fee and 

biometrics fee (if age 14 or older) but 

wait to request an EAD and pay the EAD 

application fee after USCIS grants your 

TPS application. 

Mailing Information 

Mail your application for TPS to the 

proper address in Table 1. 

TABLE 1—MAILING ADDRESSES

If you: Then mail your application to: 

Would like to send your application by U.S. Postal Service .................... USCIS, P.O. Box 6943, Chicago, IL 60680–6943. 

Would like to send your application by non-U.S. Postal Service courier Attn: Sierra Leone TPS, 131 S. Dearborn, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 

60603–5517. 

If you were granted TPS by an 

Immigration Judge (IJ) or the Board of 

Immigration Appeals (BIA), and you 

wish to request an EAD, please mail 

your application to the address in Table 

1. Upon receiving a Receipt Notice from 

USCIS, please send an email to 

TPSijgrant.tsc@uscis.dhs.gov with the 

receipt number stating that you 

submitted a request for an EAD based on 

an IJ/BIA grant of TPS as USCIS may not 

have received records of your grant of 

TPS by either an IJ or the BIA. This will 

aid in the verification of your grant and 

processing of your application. You can 

find detailed information on what 

further information you need to email, 

and email addresses on the USCIS TPS 

Web page at http://www.uscis.gov/tps. 

E-Filing 

You cannot electronically file your 

application packet when applying for 

initial registration for TPS. Please mail 

your application packet to the mailing 

address listed in Table 1. 

Supporting Documents 

What type of basic supporting 

documentation must I submit? 

To meet the basic eligibility 

requirements for TPS, you must submit 

evidence that you: 

• Are a national of Sierra Leone or an 

alien having no nationality who last 

habitually resided in Sierra Leone. Such 

documents may include a copy of your 

passport if available, other 

documentation issued by the 

Government of Sierra Leone showing 

your nationality (e.g., national identity 

card, official travel documentation 

issued by the Government of Sierra 

Leone), and/or your birth certificate 

with English translation accompanied 

by photo identification. USCIS will also 

consider certain forms of secondary 

evidence supporting your Sierra 

Leonean nationality. If the evidence 

presented is insufficient for USCIS to 

make a determination as to your 

nationality, USCIS may request 

additional evidence. If you cannot 

provide a passport, birth certificate with 

photo identification, or a national 

identity document with your photo or 

fingerprint, you must submit an 

affidavit showing proof of your 

unsuccessful efforts to obtain such 

documents and affirming that you are a 

national of Sierra Leone. However, 

please be aware that an interview with 

an immigration officer will be required 

if you do not present any documentary 

proof of identity or nationality or if 

USCIS otherwise requests a personal 

appearance. See 8 CFR 103.2(b)(9), 

244.9(a)(1); 

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69510 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Notices 

• Have continuously resided in the 

United States since November 20, 2014. 

See INA section 244(c)(1)(A)(ii), 8 

U.S.C. 1254a(c)(1)(A)(ii); 8 CFR 

244.9(a)(2); and 

• Have been continuously physically 

present in the United States since 

November 21, 2014, the effective date of 

the designation of Sierra Leone. See 

section 244(b)(2)(A), (c)(1)(A)(i) of the 

INA; 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(2)(A), 

(c)(1)(A)(i). 

You must also present two color 

passport-style photographs of yourself. 

The filing instructions on the 

Application for Temporary Protected 

Status (Form I–821) list all the 

documents needed to establish basic 

eligibility for TPS. You may also find 

information on the acceptable 

documentation and other requirements 

for applying for TPS on the USCIS Web 

site at www.uscis.gov/tps under ‘‘TPS 

Designated Country: Sierra Leone.’’ 

Do I need to submit additional 

supporting documentation? 

If one or more of the questions listed 

in Part 4, Question 2 of the Application 

for Temporary Protected Status (Form I– 

821) applies to you, then you must 

submit an explanation on a separate 

sheet(s) of paper and/or additional 

documentation. Depending on the 

nature of the question(s) you are 

addressing, additional documentation 

alone may suffice, but usually a written 

explanation will also be needed. 

Employment Authorization Document 

(EAD) 

May I request an interim EAD at my 

local USCIS office? 

No. USCIS will not issue interim 

EADs to TPS applicants at local offices. 

When hired, what documentation may I 

show to my employer as proof of 

employment authorization and identity 

when completing Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9)? 

You can find a list of acceptable 

document choices on the ‘‘List of 

Acceptable Documents’’ for 

Employment Eligibility Verification 

(Form I–9). You can find additional 

detailed information on the USCIS I–9 

Central Web page at http://

www.uscis.gov/I-9Central. Employers 

are required to verify the identity and 

employment authorization of all new 

employees by using the Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9). 

Within 3 days of hire, an employee must 

present proof of identity and 

employment authorization to his or her 

employer. 

You may present any document from 

List A (reflecting both your identity and 

employment authorization), or one 

document from List B (reflecting 

identity) together with one document 

from List C (reflecting employment 

authorization). You may present an 

acceptable receipt for List A, List B, or 

List C documents as described in the 

Form I–9 Instructions. An EAD is an 

acceptable document under ‘‘List A.’’ 

Employers may not reject a document 

based on a future expiration date. 

Can my employer require that I produce 

any other documentation to prove my 

status, such as proof of my Sierra 

Leonean citizenship? 

No. When completing the 

Employment Eligibility Verification 

(Form I–9), including re-verifying 

employment authorization, employers 

must accept any documentation that 

appears on the ‘‘Lists of Acceptable 

Documents’’ for Employment Eligibility 

Verification (Form I–9) that reasonably 

appears to be genuine and that relates to 

you, or an acceptable List A, List B, or 

List C receipt. Employers may not 

request documentation that does not 

appear on the ‘‘Lists of Acceptable 

Documents.’’ Therefore, employers may 

not request proof of Sierra Leonean 

citizenship when completing the 

Employment Eligibility Verification 

(Form I–9) for new hires or reverifying 

the employment authorization of 

current employees. If presented with 

EADs that are unexpired on their face, 

employers should accept such EADs as 

valid ‘‘List A’’ documents so long as the 

EADs reasonably appear to be genuine 

and to relate to the employee. Refer to 

the ‘‘Note to All Employees’’ section for 

important information about your rights 

if your employer rejects lawful 

documentation, requires additional 

documentation, or otherwise 

discriminates against you because of 

your citizenship or immigration status, 

or national origin. 

Note to All Employers 

Employers are reminded that the laws 

requiring proper employment eligibility 

verification and prohibiting unfair 

immigration-related employment 

practices remain in full force. This 

Notice does not supersede or in any way 

limit applicable employment 

verification rules and policy guidance, 

including those rules setting forth 

reverification requirements. For general 

questions about the employment 

eligibility verification process, 

employers may call USCIS at 888–464– 

4218 (TTY 877–875–6028) or email 

USCIS at I-9Central@dhs.gov. Calls and 

emails are accepted in English and 

many other languages. For questions 

about avoiding discrimination during 

the employment eligibility verification 

process, employers may also call the 

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Special Counsel for Immigration-Related 

Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) 

Employer Hotline at 800–255–8155 

(TTY 800–237–2515), which offers 

language interpretation in numerous 

languages, or email OSC at osccrt@

usdoj.gov. 

Note to Employees 

For general questions about the 

employment eligibility verification 

process, employees may call USCIS at 

888–897–7781 (TTY 877–875–6028) or 

email at I-9Central@dhs.gov. Calls are 

accepted in English and many other 

languages. Employees or applicants may 

also call the U.S. Department of Justice, 

Office of Special Counsel for 

Immigration-Related Unfair 

Employment Practices (OSC) Worker 

Information Hotline at 800–255–7688 

(TTY 800–237–2515) for information 

regarding employment discrimination 

based upon citizenship status, 

immigration status, or national origin, or 

for information regarding discrimination 

related to Employment Eligibility 

Verification (Form I–9) and E-Verify. 

The OSC Worker Information Hotline 

provides language interpretation in 

numerous languages. 

To comply with the law, employers 

must accept any document or 

combination of documents from the 

Lists of Acceptable Documents if the 

documentation reasonably appears to be 

genuine and to relate to the employee, 

or an acceptable List A, List B, or List 

C receipt described in the Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9) 

Instructions. Employers may not require 

extra or additional documentation 

beyond what is required for 

Employment Eligibility Verification 

(Form I–9) completion. Further, 

employers participating in E-Verify who 

receive an E-Verify case result of 

‘‘Tentative Nonconfirmation’’ (TNC) 

must promptly inform employees of the 

TNC and give such employees an 

opportunity to contest the TNC. A TNC 

case result means that the information 

entered into E-Verify from Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9) differs 

from federal or state government 

records. 

Employers may not terminate, 

suspend, delay training, withhold pay, 

lower pay or take any adverse action 

against an employee based on the 

employee’s decision to contest a TNC or 

because the case is still pending with EVerify. A Final Nonconfirmation (FNC) 

case result is received when E-Verify 

cannot verify an employee’s 

employment eligibility. An employer 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 225 / Friday, November 21, 2014 / Notices 69511 

may terminate employment based on a 

case result of FNC. Work-authorized 

employees who receive an FNC may call 

USCIS for assistance at 888–897–7781 

(TTY 877–875–6028). An employee who 

believes he or she was discriminated 

against by an employer in the E-Verify 

process based on citizenship or 

immigration status, or based on national 

origin, may contact OSC’s Worker 

Information Hotline at 800–255–7688 

(TTY 800–237–2515). Additional 

information about proper 

nondiscriminatory Employment 

Eligibility Verification (Form I–9) and EVerify procedures is available on the 

OSC Web site at http://www.justice.gov/ 

crt/about/osc/ and the USCIS Web site 

at http://www.dhs.gov/E-verify. 

Note Regarding Federal, State, and 

Local Government Agencies (Such as 

Departments of Motor Vehicles) 

While Federal Government agencies 

must follow the guidelines laid out by 

the Federal Government, State and local 

government agencies establish their own 

rules and guidelines when granting 

certain benefits. Each State may have 

different laws, requirements, and 

determinations about what documents 

you need to provide to prove eligibility 

for certain benefits. Whether you are 

applying for a Federal, State, or local 

government benefit, you may need to 

provide the government agency with 

documents that show you are a TPS 

beneficiary and/or show you are 

authorized to work based on TPS. 

Examples are: 

(1) Your EAD that has a valid 

expiration date; 

(2) A copy of your Form I–821 

Approval Notice (Form I–797), if you 

receive one from USCIS. 

Check with the government agency 

regarding which document(s) the agency 

will accept. You may also provide the 

agency with a copy of this Federal 

Register Notice. 

Some benefit-granting agencies use 

the USCIS Systematic Alien Verification 

for Entitlements Program (SAVE) to 

verify the current immigration status of 

applicants for public benefits. If such an 

agency has denied your application 

based solely or in part on a SAVE 

response, the agency must offer you the 

opportunity to appeal the decision in 

accordance with the agency’s 

procedures. If the agency has received 

and acted upon or will act upon a SAVE 

verification and you do not believe the 

response is correct, you may make an 

InfoPass appointment for an in-person 

interview at a local USCIS office. 

Detailed information on how to make 

corrections, make an appointment, or 

submit a written request to correct 

records under the Freedom of 

Information Act can be found at the 

SAVE Web site at http://www.uscis.gov/ 

save, then by choosing ‘‘How to Correct 

Your Records’’ from the menu on the 

right. 

[FR Doc. 2014–27778 Filed 11–20–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–97–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services 

[CIS No. 2551–14; DHS Docket No. USCIS– 

2014–0010] 

RIN 1615–ZB32 

Designation of Guinea for Temporary 

Protected Status 

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, Department of 

Homeland Security. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Through this Notice, the 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) announces that the Secretary of 

Homeland Security (Secretary) has 

designated Guinea for Temporary 

Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 

months, effective November 21, 2014 

through May 21, 2016. Under section 

244(b)(1)(C) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1)(C), the Secretary is 

authorized to designate a foreign state 

(or any part thereof) for TPS upon 

finding that the foreign state is 

experiencing extraordinary and 

temporary conditions that prevent its 

nationals from returning in safety and 

that permitting such aliens to remain 

temporarily in the United States is not 

contrary to the national interest. 

This designation allows eligible 

Guinean nationals (and aliens having no 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in Guinea) who have continuously 

resided in the United States since 

November 20, 2014 and been 

continuously physically present in the 

United States since November 21, 2014 

to be granted TPS. This Notice also 

describes the other eligibility criteria 

applicants must meet. 

Individuals who believe they may 

qualify for TPS under this designation 

may apply within the 180-day 

registration period that begins on 

November 21, 2014 and ends on May 

20, 2015. They may also apply for 

Employment Authorization Documents 

(EADs) and for travel authorization. 

Through this Notice, DHS also sets forth 

the procedures for nationals of Guinea 

(or aliens having no nationality who last 

habitually resided in Guinea) to apply 

for TPS, EADs, and travel authorization 

with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services (USCIS). 

Given the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)- 

related basis for the designations of 

Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for 

TPS and ongoing efforts to prevent the 

spread of EVD, requests for advance 

travel authorization (‘‘advance parole’’) 

for travel to one or more of these three 

countries will not be approved, as a 

matter of discretion, absent 

extraordinary circumstances. If you 

depart from the United States without 

obtaining advance parole or you do not 

comply with any conditions that may be 

placed on your advance parole 

document, you may not be permitted to 

re-enter the United States. TPS 

beneficiaries who are granted advance 

parole to travel to Liberia, Guinea or 

Sierra Leone are advised that they, like 

other aliens granted advance parole, are 

not guaranteed parole into the United 

States. A separate decision regarding 

your ability to enter will be made when 

you arrive at a port-of-entry upon your 

return. Individuals considering travel 

outside the United States should visit 

the Department of State’s Web site for 

the most up-to-date information in 

Travel Alerts and Warnings and in the 

Ebola Fact Sheet for Travelers. 

DATES: This designation of Guinea for 

TPS is effective on November 21, 2014 

and will remain in effect through May 

21, 2016. The 180-day registration 

period for eligible individuals to submit 

TPS applications begins November 21, 

2014, and will remain in effect through 

May 20, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

• For further information on TPS, 

including guidance on the application 

process and additional information on 

eligibility, please visit the USCIS TPS 

Web page at http://www.uscis.gov/tps. 

You can find specific information 

about this designation of Guinea for TPS 

by selecting ‘‘TPS Designated Country: 

Guinea’’ from the menu on the left of 

the TPS Web page. 

• You can also contact the TPS 

Operations Program Manager at the 

Family and Status Branch, Service 

Center Operations Directorate, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

Department of Homeland Security, 20 

Massachusetts Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20529–2060; or by 

phone at (202) 272–1533 (this is not a 

toll-free number). Note: The phone 

number provided here is solely for 

questions regarding this TPS Notice. It 

is not for individual case status 

inquires. 

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