Title: Syrian Allies Protection Act
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Syrian Allies Protection Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide certain Syrian nationals with special immigrant status.
To qualify, a Syrian national must (1) have worked directly with the Armed Forces in a role that was vital to the success of the U.S. military mission in Syria for at least six months during a specified time period, (2) have a favorable written recommendation from a general or flag officer in the chain of command of the unit that the alien was supporting, and (3) pass a background check. The spouse or child of a qualifying alien shall also qualify if accompanying the qualifying alien.
To receive special immigrant status, a qualified alien must apply to DHS and be otherwise eligible for an immigrant visa and admissible for permanent residence, except that an alien shall not be inadmissible on the grounds that the alien will likely become a public charge. Aliens granted special immigrant status under this bill shall qualify for benefits available to refugees for six months. Up to 250 principal aliens may receive special immigrant status each fiscal year under this bill.
For applicants whose lives are at risk while awaiting background checks, the Department of Defense shall implement a framework to temporarily resettle such applicants in a safe third country or grant them humanitarian parole.
DHS may provide lawful permanent resident status to an alien paroled or admitted as a nonimmigrant and who otherwise qualifies for special immigrant status under this bill.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2625 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2625

 To authorize the admission of a limited number of Kurdish Syrians and 
  other Syrian partners as special immigrants, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 17, 2019

  Mr. Warner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the admission of a limited number of Kurdish Syrians and 
  other Syrian partners 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Syrian Allies Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR PERSONS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE 
              UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN SYRIA.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c)(1), the Secretary of 
Homeland Security may provide an alien described in subsection (b) with 
the status of a special immigrant under section 101(a)(27) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)) if the alien--
            (1) submits a petition under section 204 of such Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1154) for classification under section 203(b)(4) of such 
        Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(4)); and
            (2) is otherwise eligible to receive an immigrant visa and 
        is otherwise admissible to the United States for permanent 
        residence, except in determining such admissibility, the 
        grounds for inadmissibility specified in section 212(a)(4) of 
        such Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4)) shall not apply.
    (b) Aliens Described.--An alien described in this subsection--
            (1)(A) is a national of Syria;
            (B) worked directly with the United States Armed Forces as 
        a translator or in another role that was vital to the success 
        of the United States military mission in Syria, as determined 
        by the Secretary of Defense or his designee, for a period of at 
        least 6 months between September 13, 2014, and October 15, 
        2019;
            (C) obtained a favorable written recommendation from a 
        general or flag officer in the chain of command of the United 
        States Armed Forces unit that was supported by the alien; and
            (D) cleared a background check and screening before filing 
        a petition under subsection (a)(1), as determined by a general 
        or flag officer in the chain of command of the United States 
        Armed Forces unit that was supported by the alien; or
            (2)(A) is the spouse or child of a principal alien 
        described in paragraph (1); and
            (B) is following or accompanying to join such principal 
        alien.
    (c) Numerical Limitations.--
            (1) In general.--The total number of principal aliens who 
        may be provided special immigrant status under this section 
        during any fiscal year may not exceed 250.
            (2) Counting against special immigrant cap.--For purposes 
        of the application of sections 201 through 203 of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151 through 1153) in 
        any fiscal year, aliens eligible for special immigrant status 
        under this section--
                    (A) shall be treated as special immigrants 
                described in section 101(a)(27) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a)(27)) who are not described in subparagraph (A), 
                (B), (C), or (K) of such section; and
                    (B) 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)).
    (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--
            (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 (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

SEC. 3. EVACUATION FRAMEWORK.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall 
develop and implement a framework for--
            (1) temporarily resettling individuals applying for special 
        immigrant status whose lives or safety is at risk if they 
        remain in their country of origin or country of last habitual 
        residence in a safe third country while appropriate background 
        checks are conducted on such individuals; and
            (2) granting humanitarian parole to individuals described 
        in paragraph (1) pursuant to section 212(d)(5)(B) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(B)).
    (b) Effect of Recommendation.--If the Secretary of Homeland 
Security determines that an alien who has obtained a favorable written 
recommendation pursuant to subparagraph (C) of section 2(b)(1), or the 
spouse or child of such alien, would be exposed to significant risk to 
his or her life or safety while waiting for the results of the 
background check and screening described in subparagraph (D) of such 
section, such recommendation shall be deemed to constitute sufficient 
evidence of a compelling reason--
            (1) to temporarily resettle the alien and his or her spouse 
        and children, if applicable, in a safe third country; or
            (2) to parole the alien and his or her spouse and children, 
        if applicable, pursuant to section 212(d)(5)(B) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(B)).

SEC. 4. RESETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE.

    Syrian aliens granted special immigrant status under section 2 
shall be eligible for resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, 
and other benefits available to refugees admitted under section 207 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157) for a period not to 
exceed 6 months.
                                 <all>