WASHINGTON, June 6: A new immigration law, enacted on May 11, makes it difficult for people to seek asylum in the United States and gives law -enforcement agencies more power to deport aliens, says the Congressional Research Service.
In an extensive review of the REAL ID Act of 2005, the CRS points out that the new law modifies the eligibility criteria for asylum and for preventing law-enforcement agencies from deporting an alien.
The law limits judicial review of certain immigration decisions, such as deportation orders. It provides the government additional waiver authority over laws that might impede the expeditious construction of barriers and roads along America’s land borders.
The REAL ID also expands the scope of terror-related activity making an alien inadmissible or deportable if suspected of involvement in such activities. A terror suspect will also be ineligible for certain forms of relief from removal granted under existing US laws.
The new law requires states to meet certain minimum security standards in order for the drivers’ licences and personal identification cards they issue to be accepted for federal purposes. The law requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to enter into the appropriate aviation security screening database the appropriate background information of any person convicted of using a false driver’s license for the purpose of boarding an airplane.
It also requires the Department of Homeland Security to study and plan ways to improve US security and improve inter-agency communications and information sharing, as well as establish a ground surveillance pilot program.
The law gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to grant asylum, and strengthens and codifies the standards for establishing a well-founded fear of persecution. Previously, only the Attorney General had this authority.
