	Introduction

The devastation and displacement caused by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region ofthe United States pose a host of environmental, human resource, and other public policy challenges. The loss of livelihood, habitat, and life itself has very specificimplications for foreign nationals who lived in the Gulf Coast region. Whether the noncitizen orforeign national is a legal permanent resident (LPR), a nonimmigrant (e.g., temporary resident sucha foreign student, intracompany transferee, or guest worker) or an unauthorized alien (i.e., illegalimmigrant) is a significant additional factor in how federal immigration and public welfare laws areapplied. In this context, the key question is whether Congress should relax any of these lawspertaining to foreign nationals who are victims of Hurricane Katrina . Personal Identification and Employment Eligibility

Many of the victims of Hurricane Katrina lack personal identification documents as a resultof being evacuated from their homes, loss or damage to personal items and records, and ongoingdisplacement in shelters and temporary housing. As a result of the widespread damage anddestruction to government facilities in the area affected by the hurricane, moreover, many victimswill be unable to have personal documents re-issued in the near future. Lack of adequate personalidentification documentation, a problem for all victims, has specific consequences under immigrationlaw, especially when it comes to employment. As legislation to ease the federaleligibility rules for public assistance for Hurricane Katrina victims generally is under consideration,the question of whether to ease the specific rules for noncitizens has arisen (S. 1695). These programmatic exceptions include
treatment under Medicaid for emergency medical conditions (other than thoserelated to an organ transplant); (15)
short-term, in-kind emergency disaster relief; (16)
immunizations against immunizable diseases and testing for and treatment ofsymptoms of communicable diseases;
services or assistance (such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling andintervention, and short-term shelters) designated by the Attorney General as: (i) delivering in-kindservices at the community level; (ii) providing assistance without individual determinations of each recipient's needs; and (iii) being necessary for the protection of life and safety; (17) and 
to the extent that an alien was receiving assistance on the date of enactment,programs administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, programs under TitleV of the Housing Act of 1949, and assistance under Section 306C of the Consolidated Farm andRural Development Act. There are very few immigration avenues based on self petitioning; mostrequire that aliens have a family member or employer who is eligible, able, and willing to sponsorthem. The loss of life, devastation of businesses, or depletion of personal assets directly affects visaqualifications for otherwise eligible aliens who are victims of Hurricane Katrina or the family ofvictims. It also affects nonimmigrants whose purposes for the temporary visas are disrupted by thehurricane and its aftermath. H.R. Relief from Removal

At various times in the past, the Attorney General has provided, under certain conditions,discretionary relief from deportation so that aliens who have not been legally admitted to the UnitedStates or whose temporary visa has expired nonetheless may remain in this country temporarily. (40) 
Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, INS issued a press release announcingthat family members of victims of the terrorist attacks whose own immigration status was dependenton the victim's immigration status should not be concerned about facing immediate removal fromthe United States.
The devastation and displacement caused by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region ofthe United States has very specific implications for foreign nationals who lived in the region. Whether the foreign national is a legal permanent resident (LPR), a nonimmigrant (e.g., temporaryresident such a foreign student, intracompany transferee, or guest worker) or an unauthorized alien(i.e., illegal immigrant) is a significant additional factor in how federal laws and policies are applied. In this context, the key question is whether Congress should relax any of these laws pertaining toforeign nationals who are victims of Hurricane Katrina .
Many of the victims of Hurricane Katrina lack personal identification documents as a resultof being evacuated from their homes, loss or damage to personal items and records, and ongoingdisplacement in shelters and temporary housing. As a result of the widespread damage anddestruction to government facilities in the area affected by the hurricane, moreover, many victimswill be unable to have personal documents re-issued in the near future. Lack of adequate personalidentification documentation, a problem for all victims, has specific consequences under immigrationlaw, especially when it comes to employment and eligibility for programs and assistance.
Noncitizens -- regardless of their immigration status -- are not barred from short-term,in-kind emergency disaster relief and services, or from assistance that delivers in-kind services atthe community level, provides assistance without individual determinations of each recipient's needs,and is necessary for the protection of life and safety. As legislation to ease the eligibility rules ofmajor federal programs for Hurricane Katrina victims generally is under consideration, the questionof whether to ease the specific rules for immigrants has arisen ( S. 1695 ).
Most avenues for immigration require that aliens have a family member or employer who iseligible, able, and willing to sponsor them. There are very few immigration opportunities based onself petitioning. The loss of life, devastation of businesses, or depletion of personal assets directlyaffects visa qualifications for otherwise eligible aliens who are victims of Hurricane Katrina or thefamily of victims. It also affects nonimmigrants whose purposes for the temporary visas aredisrupted by the hurricane and its aftermath. Legislation comparable to that enacted for survivingfamily of victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has passed the House ( H.R. 3827 ).
Finally, at various times in the past, the government has given discretionary relief fromdeportation so that aliens who have not been legally admitted to the United States or whosetemporary visas have expired nonetheless may remain in this country temporarily. Following theSeptember 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, for example, family members of victims whose ownimmigration status was dependent on the victim's immigration status were assured that they shouldnot be concerned about facing immediate removal from the United States. This report will beupdated.