Source: http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title8-section1253&num=0&edition=prelim
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 12:16:42+00:00

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shall be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than four years (or 10 years if the alien is a member of any of the classes described in paragraph (1)(E), (2), (3), or (4) of section 1227(a) of this title), or both.
1996-Pub. L. 104–208 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (h) relating to countries to which aliens were to be deported.
Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 104–132, §413(a), inserted at end "For purposes of subparagraph (D), an alien who is described in section 1251(a)(4)(B) of this title shall be considered to be an alien for whom there are reasonable grounds for regarding as a danger to the security of the United States."
"(B) the application of paragraph (1) to such alien is necessary to ensure compliance with the 1967 United Nations Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees."
1990-Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 101–649, §603(b)(3), substituted "1251(a)(4)(D)" for "1251(a)(19)".
Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 101–649, §515(a)(2), inserted sentence at end relating to aliens who have been convicted of aggravated felonies.
1981-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–116 inserted a comma after "subject" in fourth sentence.
1980-Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 96–212 substituted provisions relating to deportation or return of an alien where the Attorney General determines that the return would threaten the life or freedom of the alien on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, for provisions relating to withholding of deportation for any necessary period of time where the Attorney General decides the alien would be subject to persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinion.
1978-Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–549 inserted "(other than an alien described in section 1251(a) of this title)" before "within the United States".
1965-Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 89–236 substituted "persecution on account of race, religion, or political opinion" for "physical persecution".
Pub. L. 104–132, title IV, §413(g), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1269 , provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 1254, 1255, and 1259 of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 24, 1996] and shall apply to applications filed before, on, or after such date if final action has not been taken on them before such date."
Amendment by section 515(a)(2) of Pub. L. 101–649 applicable to convictions entered before, on, or after Nov. 29, 1990, and to applications for withholding of deportation made on or after such date, see section 515(b)(2) of Pub. L. 101–649, as amended, set out as a note under section 1158 of this title.
Amendment by section 603(b)(3) of Pub. L. 101–649 not applicable to deportation proceedings for which notice has been provided to the alien before Mar. 1, 1991, see section 602(d) of Pub. L. 101–649, set out as a note under section 1227 of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–212 effective Mar. 17, 1980, and applicable to fiscal years beginning with the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 1979, see section 204 of Pub. L. 96–212, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Pub. L. 99–603, title III, §315(c), Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3440 , as amended by Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, §308(g)(7)(C)(i), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–623 , provided that: "It is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of State should provide for the issuance of visas to nationals of Cuba who are or were imprisoned in Cuba for political activities without regard to section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1253(d))."

References: §413
 §603
 §515
 §413
 §315
 §308