8 USC § 1531 - Definitions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t8/s1531"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "8 USC § 1531 - Definitions"
title_number: 8
title_name: "ALIENS AND NATIONALITY"
section_number: "1531"
section_name: "Definitions"
chapter_number: 12
chapter_name: "IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "ALIEN TERRORIST REMOVAL PROCEDURES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title V, § 501, as added Pub. L. 104–132, title IV, § 401(a), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1258; amended Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, §§ 308(g)(1), 354(a)(5), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–622, 3009–643.)"
---


# § 1531. Definitions

As used in this subchapter—

**(1)** the term “alien terrorist” means any alien described in section 1227(a)(4)(B) of this title;

**(2)** the term “classified information” has the same meaning as in section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act (18 U.S.C. App.);

**(3)** the term “national security” has the same meaning as in section 1(b) of the Classified Information Procedures Act (18 U.S.C. App.);

**(4)** the term “removal court” means the court described in section 1532 of this title;

**(5)** the term “removal hearing” means the hearing described in section 1534 of this title;

**(6)** the term “removal proceeding” means a proceeding under this subchapter; and

**(7)** the term “special attorney” means an attorney who is on the panel established under section 1532(e) of this title.

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**Source Credit**: (June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title V, § 501, as added Pub. L. 104–132, title IV, § 401(a), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1258; amended Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, §§ 308(g)(1), 354(a)(5), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–622, 3009–643.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 1 of the Classified Information Procedures Act, referred to in pars. (2) and (3), is , , , which is set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

### Amendments

1996—Par. (1). , substituted “section 1227(a)(4)(B)” for “section 1251(a)(4)(B)”.

Par. (7). , added par. (7).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by  effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Amendment by  effective as if included in the enactment of subtitle A of title IV of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

Subchapter effective , and applicable to all aliens without regard to date of entry or attempted entry into United States, see , set out as an Effective Date of 1996 Amendment note under .