Search Results for keywords:"Department of Homeland Security"

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudanese nationals for 18 months, from April 20, 2025, to October 19, 2026. This extension allows current TPS beneficiaries to continue living and working in the U.S. by re-registering during the specified period. The decision is based on the ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan, making it unsafe for people to return. Sudanese TPS beneficiaries must timely re-register to maintain their status and may also renew their employment authorization documents.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has decided to extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador for 18 months, starting March 10, 2025, and ending September 9, 2026. This extension allows eligible Salvadorans to stay in the U.S. safely due to ongoing environmental challenges in El Salvador, such as natural disasters and a lack of clean water. Existing TPS beneficiaries must re-register between January 17, 2025, and March 18, 2025, to maintain their status and, if desired, renew their Employment Authorization Documents. DHS has recognized 232,000 Salvadoran beneficiaries eligible for re-registration under this extension.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the Secretary of State's agreement, has listed 81 countries whose nationals can participate in the H-2A visa program and 80 countries for the H-2B visa program for the coming year. Overstay rates, cooperation with the U.S. on immigration matters, and compliance with visa rules are key factors for these designations. Mongolia, Samoa, and Tonga have been removed from eligibility due to non-compliance issues, while the Philippines has been added to the H-2B list to address labor shortages for U.S. military projects in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. These designations are effective from January 19, 2021, to January 18, 2022.

The U.S. Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is asking for public comments on an information collection request related to voyage planning for tank barge transits in the Northeast U.S. This request, identified by the OMB Control Number 1625-0088, aims to extend the current approval without changes and intends to collect data from owners and operators of towing vessels. The data is crucial for improving safety and minimizing accidents in waterway transportation involving tank barges carrying petroleum oil. Comments can be submitted online until April 9, 2025.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has issued a notice finalizing flood hazard determinations for various communities. These determinations may involve changes to Base Flood Elevations, flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries, or other flood zone details on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The finalized maps and reports are crucial for communities participating in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as they guide floodplain management efforts and help calculate flood insurance premiums. The finalized information will be accessible online by June 16, 2021, and helps ensure that communities can manage and mitigate flood risks effectively.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of several advisory committees, in line with Executive Order 14217, aimed at reducing federal bureaucracy. The committees being terminated include the Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council and the Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee, among others. This decision was made by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consulting with the DHS Committee Management Officer and other officials, and it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Department. This action complies with regulations set forth by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor have jointly proposed a new rule seeking public input on extending the Secretary of Labor's review system to specific temporary labor certification cases. This rule will allow the Secretary of Labor to review decisions related to H-2B temporary labor certifications made by the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals and the Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board. The proposal includes updates to existing regulations and aims to maintain efficient handling of cases without notable disruption. The departments are encouraging public comments on this proposed rule to ensure informed decision-making.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice have announced a further delay in the implementation of the "Security Bars" final rule until December 31, 2025. This rule was originally intended to define certain public health concerns as threats to U.S. security, affecting asylum eligibility. The delay is due to potential conflicts with other existing regulations and the absence of current public health conditions that would activate the rule. The departments are seeking public comments on the postponement, but not on the potential modification or cancellation of the rule.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has released a notice inviting public comments on a proposed revision to their information collection practices for importation bonds. This revision involves updates to the instructions for CBP Form 301 to reference a new collection related to the Low Value Shipment Safekeeping (LVSS) bond, which is required for certain air carriers and facility operators processing shipments exempt under Section 321. The LVSS bond information will be provided in the Customs Bulletin. Additionally, the notice provides details on other forms and the estimated burden of the information collection. Comments must be submitted by February 21, 2025, and can be emailed to CBP_PRA@cbp.dhs.gov.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an interim final rule in 2006 focused on the rights of "arriving aliens" in removal proceedings to adjust their status to permanent residency. This rule involved removing certain provisions and reorganizing others, but an oversight led to incorrect regulatory cross-references. The purpose of the published correction is to amend these references without making any substantive policy changes. DHS bypassed the usual public notice and comment process for this correction because it only involves non-substantive amendments to regulatory cross-references.