Congress Passes Extension of Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program

Following House passage last week, the U.S. Senate yesterday passed and sent on to the President the Conference Committee's version of H.R. 2892, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. Section 568(a) of the bill extends until Sept. 30, 2012 the Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program. (See prior posting.) Under prior law that program expired three weeks ago. The bill also requires Citizenship and Immigration Services to submit a report to Congress on the risks of fraud and non-compliance by program participants, and a plan to improve the integrity of the program. In June 2009, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General issued a report (full text) on steps taken recently to reduce fraud in the program.