8 U.S.C. § 1256

Current through P.L. 118-40 (published on www.congress.gov on 03/01/2024)
Section 1256 - Rescission of adjustment of status; effect upon naturalized citizen
(a) If, at any time within five years after the status of a person has been otherwise adjusted under the provisions of section 1255 or 1259 of this title or any other provision of law to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the person was not in fact eligible for such adjustment of status, the Attorney General shall rescind the action taken granting an adjustment of status to such person and cancelling removal in the case of such person if that occurred and the person shall thereupon be subject to all provisions of this chapter to the same extent as if the adjustment of status had not been made. Nothing in this subsection shall require the Attorney General to rescind the alien's status prior to commencement of procedures to remove the alien under section 1229a of this title, and an order of removal issued by an immigration judge shall be sufficient to rescind the alien's status.
(b) Any person who has become a naturalized citizen of the United States upon the basis of a record of a lawful admission for permanent residence, created as a result of an adjustment of status for which such person was not in fact eligible, and which is subsequently rescinded under subsection (a) of this section, shall be subject to the provisions of section 1451 of this title as a person whose naturalization was procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.

8 U.S.C. § 1256

June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 5, §246, 66 Stat. 217; Pub. L. 103-416, title II, §219(m), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4317; Pub. L. 104-208, div. C, title III, §§308(e)(1)(H), Sept. 30, 1996, 378, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-619, 3009-649.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTThis chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original, "this Act", meaning act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, known as the Immigration and Nationality Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1101 of this title and Tables.

AMENDMENTS1996-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104-208, §378(a), inserted at end "Nothing in this subsection shall require the Attorney General to rescind the alien's status prior to commencement of procedures to remove the alien under section 1229a of this title, and an order of removal issued by an immigration judge shall be sufficient to rescind the alien's status." Pub. L. 104-208, §308(e)(1)(H), substituted "removal" for "deportation".1994-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-416 struck out first three sentences which read as follows: "If, at any time within five years after the status of a person has been adjusted under the provisions of section 1254 of this title or under section 19(c) of the Immigration Act of February 5, 1917, to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Attorney General that the person was not in fact eligible for such adjustment of status, the Attorney General shall submit to the Congress a complete and detailed statement of the facts and pertinent provisions of law in the case. Such reports shall be submitted on the first and fifteenth day of each calendar month in which Congress is in session. If during the session of the Congress at which a case is reported, or prior to the close of the session of the Congress next following the session at which a case is reported, the Congress passes a concurrent resolution withdrawing suspension of deportation, the person shall thereupon be subject to all provisions of this chapter to the same extent as if the adjustment of status had not been made."

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENTAmendment by section 308(e)(1)(H) of Pub. L. 104-208 effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 309 of Pub. L. 104-208 set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. Pub. L. 104-208, div. C, title III, §378(b), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-649, provided that: "The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on the title III-A effective date (as defined in section 309(a) of this division [set out as a note under section 1101 of this title])."

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1994 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 103-416, title II, §219(m), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4317, provided that the amendment made by section 219(m) is effective as of Oct. 25, 1994.

ABOLITION OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONSFor abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.

REFERENCES TO ORDER OF REMOVAL DEEMED TO INCLUDE ORDER OF EXCLUSION AND DEPORTATIONFor purposes of carrying out this chapter, any reference in law to an order of removal is deemed to include a reference to an order of exclusion and deportation or an order of deportation, see section 309(d)(2) of Pub. L. 104-208 set out in an Effective Date of 1996 Amendments note under section 1101 of this title.

Attorney General
The term "Attorney General" means the Attorney General of the United States.
Service
The term "Service" means the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice.
alien
The term "alien" means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.
immigration judge
The term "immigration judge" means an attorney whom the Attorney General appoints as an administrative judge within the Executive Office for Immigration Review, qualified to conduct specified classes of proceedings, including a hearing under section 1229a of this title. An immigration judge shall be subject to such supervision and shall perform such duties as the Attorney General shall prescribe, but shall not be employed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
lawfully admitted for permanent residence
The term "lawfully admitted for permanent residence" means the status of having been lawfully accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States as an immigrant in accordance with the immigration laws, such status not having changed.
naturalization
The term "naturalization" means the conferring of nationality of a state upon a person after birth, by any means whatsoever.
order of deportation
The term "order of deportation" means the order of the special inquiry officer, or other such administrative officer to whom the Attorney General has delegated the responsibility for determining whether an alien is deportable, concluding that the alien is deportable or ordering deportation.
permanent
The term "permanent" means a relationship of continuing or lasting nature, as distinguished from temporary, but a relationship may be permanent even though it is one that may be dissolved eventually at the instance either of the United States or of the individual, in accordance with law.
person
The term "person" means an individual or an organization.
residence
The term "residence" means the place of general abode; the place of general abode of a person means his principal, actual dwelling place in fact, without regard to intent.
admission
The terms "admission" and "admitted" mean, with respect to an alien, the lawful entry of the alien into the United States after inspection and authorization by an immigration officer.