Iraqi Uprisings

On August 17, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, exercised her discretionary authority not to apply most terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds to certain aliens for participation in the Iraqi uprisings against the government of Saddam Hussein in Iraq from March 1 through April 5, 1991
 To be eligible for this exemption an applicant must:

• Establish that he or she is otherwise eligible for the immigration benefit or protection being sought;
• Undergo and pass all required background and security checks;
• Have fully disclosed, to the best of his or her knowledge, in all relevant applications and interviews with U.S. Government representatives and agents, the nature and circumstances of all activities or associations falling within the scope of INA section 212(a)(3)(B), including those relating to organizations and events other than the Iraqi uprisings; and
• Establish that he or she has not participated in, or knowingly provided material support to, terrorist activities that targeted noncombatant persons not affiliated with Saddam Hussein’s regime from March 1 through April 5 of 1991, or U.S. interests;
• Establish that he or she has not engaged in terrorist activity, not otherwise exempted, outside the context of resistance activities directed against Saddam Hussein’s regime from March 1 through April 5 of 1991; and
• Establish that he or she poses no danger to the security of the United States.

 USCIS will evaluate whether the totality of the circumstances warrants an exemption.
 For more information on this exemption, please see the link below.
 August 17, 2012 Exercise of Authority
Iraqi Uprisings Exemption Memo