8603

8603 refers to two distinct but related concepts: a near-Earth asteroid and a specific designation in the context of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

The asteroid 8603 is a minor planet located in the inner regions of the asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Discovered on October 24, 1995, by astronomers at the Spacewatch program at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, it was given the provisional designation 1995 UO5. The asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 3.8 kilometers and orbits the Sun once every 3.6 years. Its orbit is relatively stable, and it does not pose any known threat of collision with Earth.

In the context of U.S. immigration policy, the term "8603" refers to a specific administrative action taken by the INS (now part of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS). In 1986, the INS began a program to identify and deport individuals who had been convicted of serious crimes, including aggravated felonies. The "8603" designation comes from the section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that authorizes the removal of such individuals. Under this provision, non-citizens convicted of certain crimes could be automatically deported, regardless of how long they had lived in the U.S. or their family ties. This policy has had significant implications for immigration enforcement and the lives of many affected individuals.

Both references to "8603" highlight distinct areas of study—celestial mechanics in astronomy and legal policy in immigration law—each with its own historical and scientific context.