Sec. 612. Grant program to assist applicants for naturalization
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The purpose of this section is to establish a grant program within United States 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 naturalization. In this section: 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.
The term IEACA grant means an Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant authorized under subsection (c). The Secretary, working through the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, may award IEACA grants to community-based organizations. Grants awarded under this section may be used for the design and implementation of programs to provide the following services: Assistance and instruction, including legal assistance, to aliens making initial application for conditional nonimmigrant or conditional nonimmigrant dependent classification under section 401.
Such assistance may include assisting applicants in— screening to assess prospective applicants’ potential eligibility for participating in such program; filling out applications for such program; gathering proof of identification, employment, residence, and tax payment; gathering proof of relationships of eligible family members; applying for any waivers for which applicants and qualifying family members may be eligible; and any other assistance that the Secretary or grantee considers useful to aliens who are interested in filing applications for treatment under section 401.
Assistance and instruction, including legal assistance, to aliens seeking to adjust their status in accordance with section 402 of this Act or section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1255 ). Assistance and instruction to applicants on— the rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship; English as a second language; civics; or applying for United States citizenship. Subject to subparagraph (B), each grant awarded under this section shall be awarded for a period of not more than 3 years.
The Secretary may renew any grant awarded under this section in 1-year increments. 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. 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— recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals under section 292.2 of title 8, Code of Federal Regulations; or otherwise directed by an attorney. Grants awarded under this section shall be awarded on a competitive basis. The Secretary shall approve applications under this section in a manner that ensures, to the greatest extent practicable, that— 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 residents who were born in foreign countries; and 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). 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. The Secretary shall establish a liaison between United States 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. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and July 1 of each subsequent year, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that includes information regarding— the status of the implementation of this section; the grants issued pursuant to this section; and the activities carried out with such grants. The Secretary may use funds made available under section 401(g)(2)(A) of this Act and section 218A(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by this Act, to carry out this section. Fees and fines deposited in the Security and Prosperity Account under section 286(w)(3)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act may be used to carry out this section. Notwithstanding section 401(g)(2)(B), 2 percent of the fees and fines collected under section 401 shall be made available for grants under the Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant Program established under this section.
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Sec. 612
Grant program to assist applicants for naturalization
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