1615-AB77 201410 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 1615 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS 1600 Department of Homeland Security DHS Application of Immigration Regulations to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

This final rule amends the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations to comply with the CNRA. The CNRA extends the immigration laws of the United States to the CNMI. This rule finalizes the interim rule and implements conforming amendments to their respective regulations.

]]> Other Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No 8 CFR 212.4(k)(1) and (2) 8 CFR 214.16(a), (b), (c) and (d) 8 CFR 245.1(d)(1)(v) and (vi) 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(24) 8 CFR 1245.1(d)(1)(v), (vi), and (vii) 8 CFR Part 2 PL 110-229 8 USC 1101 and note 8 USC 1102 8 USC 1103 8 USC 1182 and note 8 USC 1184 8 USC 1187 8 USC 1223 8 USC 1225 8 USC 1226 8 USC 1227 8 USC 1255 8 USC 1185 note 8 USC 48 USC 1806 8 USC 1186a 8 USC 1187 8 USC 1221 8 USC 1281 8 USC 1282 8 USC 1301 to 1305 and 1372 PL 104-208 PL 106-386 Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and with the Government of Palau, sec 141 48 USC 1901 note and 1931 note PL 105-100 PL 105-277 8 USC 1324a Statutory Final 11/28/2009 Consolidated Natural Resources Act (CNRA) of 2008 Public Law 110-229, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (CNRA), was enacted on May 8, 2008. Title VII of this statute extended the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Yes

This rule finalizes the interim rule to conform existing regulations with the CNRA. Some of the changes implemented under the CNRA affect existing regulations governing both DHS immigration policy and procedures and proceedings before the immigration judges and the Board. Accordingly, it is necessary to make amendments both to the DHS regulations and to the DOJ regulations. The Secretary and the Attorney General are making conforming amendments to their respective regulations in this single rulemaking document.

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Congress extended the immigration laws of the United States to the CNMI. The stated purpose of the CNRA is to ensure effective border control procedures, to properly address national security and homeland security concerns by extending U.S. immigration law to the CNMI (phasing-out the CNMI's nonresident contract worker program while minimizing to the greatest extent practicable the potential adverse economic and fiscal effects of that phase-out), to maximize the CNMI's potential for future economic and business growth, and to assure worker protections from the potential for abuse and exploitation.

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Costs: The interim rule established basic provisions necessary for the application of the INA to the CNMI and updated definitions and existing DHS and DOJ regulations in areas that were confusing or in conflict with how they are to be applied to implement the INA in the CNMI. As such, that rule made no changes that had identifiable direct or indirect economic impacts that could be quantified. Benefits: This final rule makes regulatory changes in order to lessen the adverse impacts of the CNRA on employers and employees in the CNMI and assist the CNMI in its transition to the INA.

]]> ]]> Interim Final Rule 10/28/2009 74 FR 55725 Interim Final Rule Comment Period End 11/27/2009 Correction 12/22/2009 74 FR 67969 Final Action 03/00/2015 CIS 2460-08 No No None No No www.regulations.gov www.regulations.gov No No 1615-AB76 Related to 1615-AB75 Related to Lori MacKenzie S. Division Chief, Operations Policy & Stakeholder Communications, Immigrant Investor Program 1615 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS 202 357-9214 lori.s.mackenzie@uscis.dhs.gov 131 M Street NE., Washington DC 20529-2200