H. R. 4681
One Hundred Sixth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand
An Act
To provide for the adjustment of status of certain Syrian nationals.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) President Bush and President Clinton successively con-
ducted successful negotiations with the Government of Syria
to bring about the release of members of the Syrian Jewish
population and their immigration to the United States.
(2) In order to accommodate the Syrian Government, the
United States was required to admit these aliens by first
granting them temporary nonimmigrant visas and subsequently
granting them asylum, rather than admitting them as refugees
(as is ordinarily done when the United States grants refuge
to members of a persecuted alien minority group).
(3) The asylee status of these aliens has resulted in a
long and unnecessary delay in their adjustment to lawful
permanent resident status that would not have been encoun-
tered had they been admitted as refugees.
(4) This delay has impaired these aliens’ ability to work
in their chosen professions, travel freely, and apply for natu-
ralization.
(5) The Attorney General should act without further delay
to grant lawful permanent resident status to these aliens in
accordance with section 2.
SEC. 2. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS OF CERTAIN SYRIAN NATIONALS.
(a) ADJUSTMENT
OF STATUS.—Subject to subsection (c), the
Attorney General shall adjust the status of an alien described
in subsection (b) to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent
residence, if the alien—
(1) applies for adjustment of status under this section not
later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act
or applied for adjustment of status under the Immigration
and Nationality Act before the date of the enactment of this
Act;
(2) has been physically present in the United States for
at least 1 year after being granted asylum;
(3) is not firmly resettled in any foreign country; and
(4) is admissible as an immigrant under the Immigration
and Nationality Act at the time of examination for adjustment
of such alien.
H. R. 4681—2
(b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE FOR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.—The benefits
provided by subsection (a) shall apply to any alien—
(1) who—
(A) is a Jewish national of Syria;
(B) arrived in the United States after December 31,
1991, after being permitted by the Syrian Government
to depart from Syria; and
(C) is physically present in the United States at the
time of filing the application described in subsection (a)(1);
or
(2) who is the spouse, child, or unmarried son or daughter
of an alien described in paragraph (1).
(c) NUMERICAL LIMITATION.—The total number of aliens whose
status may be adjusted under this section may not exceed 2,000.
(d) RECORD OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE.—Upon approval of an
application for adjustment of status under this section, the Attorney
General shall establish a record of the alien’s admission for lawful
permanent residence as of the date 1 year before the date of
the approval of the application.
(e) AVAILABILITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.—The Attorney
General shall provide to applicants for adjustment of status under
subsection (a) the same right to, and procedures for, administrative
review as are provided to applicants for adjustment of status under
section 209(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1159(b)).
(f ) NO OFFSET IN NUMBER OF VISAS AVAILABLE.—Whenever
an alien is granted the status of having been lawfully admitted
for permanent residence pursuant to this section, the Secretary
of State shall not be required to reduce the number of immigrant
visas authorized to be issued under any provision of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act.
(g) APPLICATION OF IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT PROVI-
SIONS.—The definitions contained in the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act shall apply in the administration of this section. The
fact that an alien may be eligible to be granted the status of
having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence under this
section shall not preclude the alien from seeking such status under
any other provision of law for which the alien may be eligible.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.