§2386 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

Certain groups must register with the U.S. Attorney General if they fall into any of these categories: they are under foreign control and take part in political activity; they do both military-style activity and political activity; they are under foreign control and do military-style activity; or their aim is to seize or overthrow a government by force or threats. To register, the group must file a detailed statement on forms the Attorney General requires, sign it under oath by all officers, and then file an updated statement within 30 days after each six-month period to keep the information current. The Attorney General can set and change the rules for what to file. The filings are public records. Breaking these rules can lead to fines, up to five years in prison, or both, and knowingly lying or leaving out required facts carries the same penalties. Key words: "Attorney General" = the U.S. Attorney General. "Organization" = any group or association (excluding charities and similar nonprofits). "Political activity" = activity aimed at controlling or overthrowing a government by force. "Civilian military activity" = giving or getting military-style instruction, holding maneuvers, drills, parades, or other organized military preparations. "Subject to foreign control" = getting support from, or taking direction from, a foreign government or foreign political group. Exemptions include the U.S. armed forces, state militias/National Guard, law enforcement agencies, recognized foreign diplomatic missions, and national veterans' organizations.

Title 18, §2386

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(A) For the purposes of this section: “Attorney General” means the Attorney General of the United States; “Organization” means any group, club, league, society, committee, association, political party, or combination of individuals, whether incorporated or otherwise, but such term shall not include any corporation, association, community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes; “Political activity” means any activity the purpose or aim of which, or one of the purposes or aims of which, is the control by force or overthrow of the Government of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, or any State or political subdivision thereof; An organization is engaged in “civilian military activity” if: (1) it gives instruction to, or prescribes instruction for, its members in the use of firearms or other weapons or any substitute therefor, or military or naval science; or (2) it receives from any other organization or from any individual instruction in military or naval science; or (3) it engages in any military or naval maneuvers or activities; or (4) it engages, either with or without arms, in drills or parades of a military or naval character; or (5) it engages in any other form of organized activity which in the opinion of the Attorney General constitutes preparation for military action; An organization is “subject to foreign control” if: (a) it solicits or accepts financial contributions, loans, or support of any kind, directly or indirectly, from, or is affiliated directly or indirectly with, a foreign government or a political subdivision thereof, or an agent, agency, or instrumentality of a foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or a political party in a foreign country, or an international political organization; or (b) its policies, or any of them, are determined by or at the suggestion of, or in collaboration with, a foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or an agent, agency, or instrumentality of a foreign government or a political subdivision thereof, or a political party in a foreign country, or an international political organization. (B)(1) The following organizations shall be required to register with the Attorney General: Every organization subject to foreign control which engages in political activity; Every organization which engages both in civilian military activity and in political activity; Every organization subject to foreign control which engages in civilian military activity; and Every organization, the purpose or aim of which, or one of the purposes or aims of which, is the establishment, control, conduct, seizure, or overthrow of a government or subdivision thereof by the use of force, violence, military measures, or threats of any one or more of the foregoing. Every such organization shall register by filing with the Attorney General, on such forms and in such detail as the Attorney General may by rules and regulations prescribe, a registration statement containing the information and documents prescribed in subsection (B)(3) and shall within thirty days after the expiration of each period of six months succeeding the filing of such registration statement, file with the Attorney General, on such forms and in such detail as the Attorney General may by rules and regulations prescribe, a supplemental statement containing such information and documents as may be necessary to make the information and documents previously filed under this section accurate and current with respect to such preceding six months’ period. Every statement required to be filed by this section shall be subscribed, under oath, by all of the officers of the organization. (2) This section shall not require registration or the filing of any statement with the Attorney General by: (a) The armed forces of the United States; or (b) The organized militia or National Guard of any State, Territory, District, or possession of the United States; or (c) Any law-enforcement agency of the United States or of any Territory, District or possession thereof, or of any State or political subdivision of a State, or of any agency or instrumentality of one or more States; or (d) Any duly established diplomatic mission or consular office of a foreign government which is so recognized by the Department of State; or (e) Any nationally recognized organization of persons who are veterans of the armed forces of the United States, or affiliates of such organizations. (3) Every registration statement required to be filed by any organization shall contain the following information and documents: (a) The name and post-office address of the organization in the United States, and the names and addresses of all branches, chapters, and affiliates of such organization; (b) The name, address, and nationality of each officer, and of each person who performs the functions of an officer, of the organization, and of each branch, chapter, and affiliate of the organization; (c) The qualifications for membership in the organization; (d) The existing and proposed aims and purposes of the organization, and all the means by which these aims or purposes are being attained or are to be attained; (e) The address or addresses of meeting places of the organization, and of each branch, chapter, or affiliate of the organization, and the times of meetings; (f) The name and address of each person who has contributed any money, dues, property, or other thing of value to the organization or to any branch, chapter, or affiliate of the organization; (g) A detailed statement of the assets of the organization, and of each branch, chapter, and affiliate of the organization, the manner in which such assets were acquired, and a detailed statement of the liabilities and income of the organization and of each branch, chapter, and affiliate of the organization; (h) A detailed description of the activities of the organization, and of each chapter, branch, and affiliate of the organization; (i) A description of the uniforms, badges, insignia, or other means of identification prescribed by the organization, and worn or carried by its officers or members, or any of such officers or members; (j) A copy of each book, pamphlet, leaflet, or other publication or item of written, printed, or graphic matter issued or distributed directly or indirectly by the organization, or by any chapter, branch, or affiliate of the organization, or by any of the members of the organization under its authority or within its knowledge, together with the name of its author or authors and the name and address of the publisher; (k) A description of all firearms or other weapons owned by the organization, or by any chapter, branch, or affiliate of the organization, identified by the manufacturer’s number thereon; (l) In case the organization is subject to foreign control, the manner in which it is so subject; (m) A copy of the charter, articles of association, constitution, bylaws, rules, regulations, agreements, resolutions, and all other instruments relating to the organization, powers, and purposes of the organization and to the powers of the officers of the organization and of each chapter, branch, and affiliate of the organization; and (n) Such other information and documents pertinent to the purposes of this section as the Attorney General may from time to time require. All statements filed under this section shall be public records and open to public examination and inspection at all reasonable hours under such rules and regulations as the Attorney General may prescribe. (C) The Attorney General is authorized at any time to make, amend, and rescind such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section, including rules and regulations governing the statements required to be filed. (D) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Whoever in a statement filed pursuant to this section willfully makes any false statement or willfully omits to state any fact which is required to be stated, or which is necessary to make the statements made not misleading, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 14–17 (Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 897, §§ 1–4, 54 Stat. 1201–1204). Section consolidates section 14–17 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., as subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d), respectively, of this section, with necessary changes of phraseology and translation of section references. Words “upon conviction” which preceded “be subject” were omitted as surplusage, as punishment cannot otherwise be imposed.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000” in penultimate par. and for “fined not more than $2,000” in last par.

§2386 Registration of certain organizations