Hurricane Katrina: Legal Issues - Columbus School of Law

Because of the difficulty in comfirming the identities of those receiving U.S. Treasury checks, the U.S.
Department of the Treasury is providing assistance for those institutions who have conducted prudent
investigations into an individual's identity.
A depository will not be liable for cashing a Treasury benefit or check bearing a forged indorsement if:
1) the depository verifies an identity by calling the number provided by the issuing agency, and 2) the depositoty has
used prudent effort in verifying the identity such as: inspecting bills and leases, checking other forms of I.D.
including passports, and conducting an electronic search and searching public databases or other online sources.
Please view the security features on Treasury checks by visiting http:///fms.treas.gov/checkclaims/index.html.
Please contact the Federal Reserve's Bank of Richmond's Treasury Check Assistance should any questions
arise as to the authenticity of a U.S. Treasury check: (804) 697-2605.
For more information, please view the official notice at:
http://fms.treas.gov/katrina_notice_depository_institutions.html.
Also, for clarification of customer identification/"Know Your Customer" Standards, please visit:
http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/srletters/2005/sr0515.htm.
Please contact the following for more information:
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), www.fdic.gov, 1-800-ASK-FDIC
Federal Reserve, www.federalreserve.gov, 1-800-827-3340
Social Security Administration, www.socialsecurity.gov, 1-800-772-1213
Mississippi Department of Banking, www.dbcf.state.ms.us, 1-601-359-1031 or
1-800-844-2499
Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions, www.ofi.louisiana.gov, 1-225-925-4660 or 1-866-783-5530
State of Alabama Banking Department, www.bank.state.al.us, 1-334-242-3452
Immigration Law
INFORMATION FOR NON-CITIZENS DISPLACED BY KATRINA & RITA
IMMIGRATION BENEFITS
Q: I lost all my immigration papers, how do I replace them?
Local USCIS offices across the country have a supply in hand of the forms necessary to replace immigration papers
and will accept walk-in applicants. No INFOPASS appointments are needed but Hurricane victims must identify
themselves as such when filing the application at a USCIS office. The USCIS will verify information through their
database but bring any documents you may still have with you. Non-Hurricane victims are asked to use the
traditional methods of replacing documents (see CIS website).
To Replace a re-entry permit, travel document, or Advance Parole permission: complete Form I-131.
To Replace your EAD (work permit ) complete Form I-765.