Hurricane Relief Bill Stripped of Suspension of Removal Provision

March 7, 2006

On March 3, the Senate cleared a much diminished Hurricane Katrina relief bill for presentation to the president for his signature. The bill, S. 1777, as originally passed by the Senate included a Sense of Congress that the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement should suspend or refrain from initiating removal proceedings for international students and scholars who are deportable because of their inability to maintain status due to natural disaster, such as Hurricane Katrina. The House stripped this and other provisions from the bill, only including an extension of unemployment insurance. The Senate agreed to the limited bill. The White House received the bill on March 6.

 

Suspending Removal Proceedings for International Students and Scholars Affected by Hurricane Katrina

February 23, 2006

A Hurricane Katrina relief bill, S. 1777, includes a provision that expresses a sense of Congress that the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement should suspend or refrain from initiating removal proceedings for international students and scholars who are deportable because of their inability to maintain status due to natural disaster, such as Hurricane Katrina. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 15. It was received in the House the same day and has been referred to three committees for consideration.