HR 890 IH

To provide for special immigrant status for certain aliens working as journalists in Hong Kong.

February 27, 1997

Mr. PORTER (for himself, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. HORN, Mr. WOLF, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. EVANS, Mr. DREIER, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GILMAN, Mrs. MORELLA, and Mr. WICKER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

To provide for special immigrant status for certain aliens working as journalists in Hong Kong.

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

SECTION 1. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT STATUS FOR CERTAIN ALIENS WORKING AS JOURNALISTS IN HONG KONG.

(a) IN GENERAL- Subject to subsection (c), an alien described in subsection (b) shall be treated as a special immigrant described in section 101(a)(27) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(b) ALIENS COVERED- An alien is described in this subsection if the alien is--

(1) a journalist residing in Hong Kong--

(A) who is a national of Hong Kong or China;

(B) whose principal employment or source of income has been the news media (including print, radio, and television) in Hong Kong for at least 3 years prior to an application for special immigrant status under this section; and

(C) whose welfare or safety is likely to be subject to threats or harassment due directly to the journalist's work in the news media in Hong Kong; or

(2) the spouse or child (as defined in subsection (e)) of an alien described in paragraph (1), if accompanying or following to join the alien in coming to the United States.

(c) PERIOD OF VALIDITY-

(1) The period of validity of a special immigrant visa issued under this section shall be on and after January 1, 1997, and before January 1, 2002.

(2) Before the date an alien seeks to be admitted to the United States as a special immigrant under this section, the alien shall notify the appropriate consular officer of the alien's intention to seek such admission and provide such officer with such information as the officer determines to be necessary to verify that the alien remains eligible for admission to the United States as an immigrant.

(d) NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS- Not more than 2,000 visas shall be made available to aliens as special immigrants under this section. Aliens admitted under this section shall not be counted against any numerical limitation established under section 201 or 202 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(e) TREATMENT OF CHILDREN- In this section, the term `child' has the meaning given such term in section 101(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and also includes (for purposes of this section and the Immigration and Nationality Act as it applies to this section) an alien who was the child (as so defined) of the alien as of the date of the issuance of an immigrant visa to the alien described in subsection (b)(1).