Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§1597 Unlawful conduct with respect to immigration documents

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 77— - PEONAGE, SLAVERY, AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS › § 1597

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

It is illegal for anyone who knows a passport or immigration paper belongs to someone else to destroy it, hide it, take it, seize it, or keep it if they do so while breaking section 1351 or section 274 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324), intend to break those laws, or mean to unlawfully control or stop the person’s work or services. A person who does this can be fined under federal law, jailed for up to 1 year, or both. Anyone who knowingly tries to block or interfere with enforcing this rule faces the same penalty.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §1597

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly destroy, conceal, remove, confiscate, or possess, an actual or purported passport or other immigration document of another individual—

(1)in the course of violating section 1351 of this title or section 274 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324);

(2)with intent to violate section 1351 of this title or section 274 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324); or

(3)in order to, without lawful authority, maintain, prevent, or restrict the labor of services of the individual.

(b)Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.

(c)Any person who knowingly obstructs, attempts to obstruct, or in any way interferes with or prevents the enforcement of this section, shall be subject to the penalties described in subsection (b).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 1597

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73