S.Amdt. 3501

1. Adds SEC. __. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS wherever appropriate

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. __. GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.

   Inserted: (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the "Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant Act of 2006".

   Inserted: (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to establish a grant program within the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services that provides funding to community-based organizations, including community-based legal service organizations, as appropriate, to develop and implement programs to assist eligible applicants for the conditional nonimmigrant worker program established under this Act by providing them with the services described in subsection (d)(2).

   Inserted: (c) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) Community-based organization.--The term "community-based organization" means a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, including a faith-based organization, whose staff has experience and expertise in meeting the legal, social, educational, cultural educational, or cultural needs of immigrants, refugees, persons granted asylum, or persons applying for such statuses.

   Inserted: (2) IEACA grant.--The term "IEACA grant" means an Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant authorized under subsection (d).

   Inserted: (d) Establishment of Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant Program.--

   Inserted: (1) Grants authorized.--The Secretary, working through the Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, may award IEACA grants to community-based organizations.

   Inserted: (2) Use of funds.--Grants awarded under this section may be used for the design and implementation of programs to provide the following services:

   Inserted: (A) Initial application.--Assistance and instruction, including legal assistance, to aliens making initial application for treatment under the program established by section 218D of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by section 601. Such assistance may include assisting applicants in--

   Inserted: (i) screening to assess prospective applicants' potential eligibility or lack of eligibility;

   Inserted: (ii) filling out applications;

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   Inserted: (iii) gathering proof of identification, employment, residence, and tax payment;

   Inserted: (iv) gathering proof of relationships of eligible family members;

   Inserted: (v) applying for any waivers for which applicants and qualifying family members may be eligible; and

   Inserted: (vi) any other assistance that the Secretary or grantee considers useful to aliens who are interested in filing applications for treatment under such section 218D.

   Inserted: (B) Adjustment of status.--Assistance and instruction, including legal assistance, to aliens seeking to adjust their status in accordance with section 245 or 245B of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

   Inserted: (C) Citizenship.--Assistance and instruction to applicants on--

   Inserted: (i) the rights and responsibilities of United States Citizenship;

   Inserted: (ii) English as a second language;

   Inserted: (iii) civics; or

   Inserted: (iv) applying for United States citizenship.

   Inserted: (3) Duration and renewal.--

   Inserted: (A) Duration.--Each grant awarded under this section shall be awarded for a period of not more than 3 years.

   Inserted: (B) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew any grant awarded under this section in 1-year increments.

   Inserted: (4) Application for grants.--Each entity desiring an IEACA grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require.

   Inserted: (5) Eligible organizations.--A community-based organization applying for a grant under this section to provide services described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C)(iv) of paragraph (2) may not receive such a grant unless the organization is--

   Inserted: (A) recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals under section 292.2 of title 8, Code of Federal Regulations; or

   Inserted: (B) otherwise directed by an attorney.

   Inserted: (6) Selection of grantees.--Grants awarded under this section shall be awarded on a competitive basis.

   Inserted: (7) Geographic distribution of grants.--The Secretary shall approve applications under this section in a manner that ensures, to greatest extent practicable, that--

   Inserted: (A) not less than 50 percent of the funding for grants under this section are awarded to programs located in the 10 States with the highest percentage of foreign-born residents; and

   Inserted: (B) not less than 20 percent of the funding for grants under this section are awarded to programs located in States that are not described in subparagraph (A).

   Inserted: (8) Ethnic diversity.--The Secretary shall ensure that community-based organizations receiving grants under this section provide services to an ethnically diverse population, to the greatest extent possible.

   Inserted: (e) Liaison Between USCIS and Grantees.--The Secretary shall establish a liaison between the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the community of providers of services under this section to assure quality control, efficiency, and greater client willingness to come forward.

   Inserted: (f) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each subsequent July 1, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes information regarding--

   Inserted: (1) the status of the implementation of this section;

   Inserted: (2) the grants issued pursuant to this section; and

   Inserted: (3) the results of those grants.

   Inserted: (g) Source of Grant Funds.--

   Inserted: (1) Application fees.--The Secretary may use funds made available under sections 218A(l)(2) and 218D(f)(4)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by this Act, to carry out this section.

   Inserted: (2) Authorization of appropriations.--

   Inserted: (A) Amounts authorized.--In addition to the amounts made available under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated such additional sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011 to carry out this section.

   Inserted: (B) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall remain available until expended.

   Inserted: (h) Distribution of Fees and Fines.--

   Inserted: (1) H-2c visa fees.--Notwithstanding section 218A(l) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by section 403, 2 percent of the fees collected under section 218A of such Act shall be made available for grants under the Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant Program established under this section.

   Inserted: (2) Conditional nonimmigrant visa fees and fines.--Notwithstanding section 218D(f)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by section 601, 2 percent of the fees and fines collected under section 218D of such Act shall be made available for grants under the Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant Program established under this section.

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As printed