I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 836
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to restore the avenues for 
relief from removal that existed for aliens lawfully admitted for perma-
nent residence prior to the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform 
and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2003
Mr. PASTOR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to restore 
the avenues for relief from removal that existed for aliens 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence prior to the 
enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immi-
grant Responsibility Act of 1996.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. RESTORATION OF SECTION 212(C). 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 212 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182) is amended by insert-
ing after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
‘‘(c) Aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence 
who temporarily proceeded abroad voluntarily and not 
under an order of deportation or removal, and who are 
returning to a lawful unrelinquished domicile of seven con-
secutive years, may be admitted in the discretion of the 
Secretary of Homeland Security without regard to the pro-
visions of subsection (a) (other than paragraphs (3) and 
(10)(C)). Nothing contained in this subsection shall limit 
the authority of the Secretary to exercise the discretion 
vested in him under section 211(b). The first sentence of 
this subsection shall not apply to an alien who has been 
convicted of one or more aggravated felonies and has 
served for such felony or felonies a term of imprisonment 
of at least 5 years.’’. 
(b) CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL.—Section 240A(a) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1229b(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) CANCELLATION
OF REMOVAL
FOR CERTAIN 
PERMANENT RESIDENTS.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security may cancel removal in the case of an alien who 
is inadmissible or deportable from the United States if—
‘‘(1) the alien—
‘‘(A) has been an alien lawfully admitted 
for permanent residence for not less than 5 
years;
‘‘(B) has resided in the United States con-
tinuously for 7 years after having been admit-
ted in any status; and 
‘‘(C) has not been convicted of any aggra-
vated felony; or 
‘‘(2) the alien would be admissible to the 
United States under section 212(c) if the alien had 
temporarily proceeded abroad voluntarily.’’. 
SEC. 2. POST-PROCEEDING RELIEF FOR AFFECTED ALIENS. 
(a) 
IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 
section 
240(c)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1229a(c)(6)) or any other limitation imposed by 
law on motions to reopen removal proceedings, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall establish a process 
(whether through permitting the reopening of a removal 
proceeding or otherwise) under which an alien—
(1) who is (or was) in removal proceedings be-
fore the date of the enactment of this Act (whether 
or not the alien has been removed as of such date); 
and 
(2) whose eligibility for cancellation of removal 
has been established by this Act; 
may apply (or reapply) for cancellation of removal under 
section 240A(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1229b(a)) as a beneficiary of the relief provided 
under this Act. 
(b) PAROLE.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 
should exercise the parole authority under section 
212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A)) for the purpose of permitting 
aliens removed from the United States to participate in 
the process established under subsection (a).
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