This bill proposes to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, specifically section 208(b)(2), to render aliens convicted of certain crimes ineligible for asylum. Under the proposed changes, an alien would be barred from asylum if they have been finally convicted of a felony or misdemeanor , with these terms broadly defined. A felony includes any crime defined as such by a relevant jurisdiction (Federal, State, tribal, or local) or punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, while a misdemeanor is any crime classified as such or not punishable by more than one year. A limited exception permits the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate, by regulation, specific political offenses committed outside the United States as not constituting a disqualifying crime, with this authority strictly confined to such offenses.