I believe it's a historical reference on the part of the judge. It certainly used to be enough to be placed on a watch-list in the US.
On a related note, I see the question about communism is now gone from the form for applying for a visitors visa to the US -- I can't find any documentation as to if it was ever there, or if I just remember it being there:
I'm pretty sure that line about terrorist organization has to be from after the first time I was in the US (the early 90s) -- but I could be wrong.
There's still this:
(a) Classes of aliens ineligible for visas or admission
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, aliens who are inadmissible under the following paragraphs are ineligible to receive visas and ineligible to be admitted to the United States:
(D) Immigrant membership in totalitarian party
(i) In general Any immigrant who is or has been a member of or affiliated with the Communist or any other totalitarian party (or subdivision or affiliate thereof), domestic or foreign, is inadmissible.
On a related note, I see the question about communism is now gone from the form for applying for a visitors visa to the US -- I can't find any documentation as to if it was ever there, or if I just remember it being there:
http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/visa_waiver.pdf
I'm pretty sure that line about terrorist organization has to be from after the first time I was in the US (the early 90s) -- but I could be wrong.
There's still this:
(a) Classes of aliens ineligible for visas or admission Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, aliens who are inadmissible under the following paragraphs are ineligible to receive visas and ineligible to be admitted to the United States:
(D) Immigrant membership in totalitarian party (i) In general Any immigrant who is or has been a member of or affiliated with the Communist or any other totalitarian party (or subdivision or affiliate thereof), domestic or foreign, is inadmissible.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1182