I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 609
To accord honorary citizenship to the alien victims of the September 11, 
2001, terrorist attacks against the United States and to provide for 
the granting of permanent resident status to the alien spouses and 
children of certain victims of such attacks. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 5, 2003
Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To accord honorary citizenship to the alien victims of the 
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United 
States and to provide for the granting of permanent 
resident status to the alien spouses and children of cer-
tain victims of such attacks.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Terrorist Victim Citi-
zenship Relief Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On September 11, 2001, the United States 
suffered a series of attacks which led to the deaths 
of thousands of people. 
(2) Hundreds of foreign nationals perished in 
the attacks on the American institutions on Amer-
ican soil. 
(3) At that time, the Immigration and Natu-
ralization Service was processing applications for ad-
justment in immigration status for immigrants who 
perished in the attacks. 
(4) The immigrant or nonimmigrant status of 
many immigrant families depends on the sponsor-
ship of those who perished. 
(5) The Immigration and Naturalization Serv-
ice has publicly stated that it does not intend to take 
action against foreign nationals whose immigration 
status is in jeopardy as a direct result of the attack. 
(6) Commissioner of the Immigration and Nat-
uralization Service James Ziglar stated that ‘‘the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service will exercise 
its discretion toward families of victims during this 
time of mourning and readjustment’’. 
(7) Only Congress has the authority to change 
immigration law to address unanticipated omissions 
in existing law to account for the unique cir-
cumstances surrounding the events of September 11, 
2001. 
SEC. 3. DECEASED ALIEN VICTIMS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS 
DEEMED TO BE UNITED STATES CITIZENS. 
Notwithstanding title III of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), and except as pro-
vided in section 5, each alien who died as a result of a 
September 11, 2001, terrorist attack against the United 
States, shall, as of that date, be considered to be an hon-
orary citizen of the United States if the alien held lawful 
status under the immigration laws of the United States 
as of that date. 
SEC. 4. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS ACCORDED TO 
ALIEN SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF CERTAIN 
VICTIMS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS. 
Notwithstanding the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), and except as provided in 
section 5, an alien spouse or child of an individual who 
was lawfully present in the United States and who died 
as a result of a September 11, 2001, terrorist attack 
against the United States shall be granted status as a per-
manent resident alien, without regard to the current sta-
tus of the alien spouse or child under the immigration laws 
of the United States, if the spouse or child applies to the
Attorney General for permanent resident status not later 
than two years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. EXCEPTIONS. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an 
alien may not be afforded honorary citizenship or granted 
permanent resident status, under this Act if the alien is—
(1) inadmissible under paragraph (2) or (3) of 
section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act, or deportable under paragraph (2) or (4) of sec-
tion 237(a) of that Act, including any terrorist per-
petrator of a September 11, 2001, terrorist attack 
against the United States; or 
(2) a member of the family of a person de-
scribed in paragraph (1).
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