Section 5571, Determination of Treatment of Battered Aliens as Qualified Aliens, allows the exemptions that apply to a battered alien to also apply to the child of such an alien. This section also allows the agency to make the determination that an alien should be eligible for benefits due to victimization. The current law requires the attorney general to make this judgment. The attorney general is also directed to establish standards to assist local agencies in making this determination.
Section 5572 requires the attorney general, within 90 days of the passage of this technical bill, to establish regulations to be used by state and local governments to verify whether or not an individual is a legal alien. Current law requires the attorney general to act within 18 months of the enactment of P.L. 104-193 (Aug. 22, 1996).
Section 5573 specifically grants SSA the authority to provide information on qualifying quarters to other appropriate federal agencies. This section also clarifies that a child qualifies for all quarters earned by his or her parents before the age of 18.
Section 5574 clarifies that noncitizens living somewhere other than the United States are entitled to federal benefits they legally earned (veteran benefits to noncitizens now residing outside the United States).