Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 96 Part 1.djvu/1199

 PUBLIC LAW 97-271—SEPT. 30, 1982

96 STAT. 1157

Public Law 97- •271 97th Congress An Act To authorize the granting of permanent residence status to certain nonimmigrant aliens residing in the Virgin Islands of the United States, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives United States of America in Congress assembled,

Sept. 30, 1982 [H.R. 3517]

of the

SHORT TITLE AND FINDINGS

SECTION 1. (a) This Act may be cited as the "Virgin Islands N o n i m m i g r a n t Alien Adjustment Act of 1982". (b) Congress finds— (1) that in order to eliminate the u n certain t y and insecurity of aliens who— (A) legally entered the Virgin Islands of the United States as n o n i m m i g r a n t s for employment under the temporary alien labor program, (B) have continued to reside in the Virgin Islands for long periods (some for as long as twenty years), and (C) have contributed to the economic, social, and cultural development of the Virgin Islands and have become an integral part of the society of the Virgin Islands, it is necessary and equitable to provide for the orderly adjustment of their immigration s t a t u s to that of p e r m a n e n t resident aliens; and (2) because— (A) the Congress has special responsibility and authority with respect to the territories and the establishment of immigration policy, and (B)(i) the Virgin Islands is a small and densely populated insular territory with limited resources, (ii) most of the aliens eligible for benefits under section 2 of this Act a r e natives of islands in the Caribbean and have relatives residing in such islands, and such relatives, if they were permitted to i m m i g r a t e to the United States, a r e likely to settle in the Virgin Islands, and (iii) the admission of a significant n u m b e r of these relatives would have a severe and d e t r i m e n t a l impact on the limited health, education, housing, and other services available in the Virgin Islands, the r e is a necessary and compelling need to prevent a secondary migration of a significant n u m b e r of such relatives to the Virgin Islands.

Virgin Islands Nonimmigrant Alien Adjustment Act of 1982. 8 USC 1255 note.

ADJUSTMENT OF IMMIGRATION STATUS

SEC. 2. (a) The s t a t u s of any alien described in subsection (b) may be adjusted by the Attorney General, in his discretion and under such regulations as h e may prescribe, to that of an alien lawfully admitted for p e r m a n e n t residence if the alien—

8 USC 1255 note.

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