Bill Sponsor
House Bill 560
117th Congress(2021-2022)
Northern Mariana Islands Legal Residents Relief Act of 2021
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Jan 28, 2021
Overview
Text
Introduced
Jan 28, 2021
Latest Action
Mar 5, 2021
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
560
Congress
117
Policy Area
Immigration
Immigration
Primary focus of measure is administration of immigration and naturalization matters; immigration enforcement procedures; refugees and asylum policies; travel and residence documentation; foreign labor; benefits for immigrants. Measures concerning smuggling and trafficking of persons may fall under Crime and Law Enforcement policy area. Measures concerning refugees may fall under International Affairs policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Northern Mariana Islands
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
New York
House Votes (0)
Senate Votes (0)
No House votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Northern Mariana Islands Legal Residents Relief Act of 2021

This bill expands eligibility for obtaining Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Resident status, provides a path for holders of such status to obtain U.S. permanent resident status, and makes CNMI-only transitional workers eligible to receive government relief or assistance in connection with a declared emergency.

CNMI Resident status was available to qualifying individuals who applied for such status between February 19, 2020, and August 17, 2020. Among other requirements, a qualifying individual must have (1) been lawfully present in the CNMI on certain dates, and (2) continually and lawfully resided in the CNMI from November 28, 2009, through June 25, 2019.

The bill reopens the period for applying for such status for 180 days and authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to waive this deadline in certain instances.

The bill allows additional classes of individuals to qualify for CNMI Resident status, including an individual who (1) was admitted as a transitional worker during FY2015 and each subsequent fiscal year through FY2018, (2) is a qualified investor, or (3) resided in the CNMI as a guest worker for certain periods and is currently a transitional worker. The bill also waives the continual residence requirement for certain individuals and allows an individual lawfully present on December 31, 2020, to qualify.

A qualifying alien with CNMI Resident status may obtain U.S. permanent resident status after holding CNMI Resident status for five years or after this bill has been enacted for five years, whichever is later.

Text (1)
January 28, 2021
Actions (3)
03/05/2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
01/28/2021
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
01/28/2021
Introduced in House
Public Record
Record Updated
Mar 8, 2023 7:58:10 PM