Title 19 — Customs DutiesRelease 119-73
§1628 Exchange of information
Title 19 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - TARIFF ACT OF 1930 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— - ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Part Part V— - Enforcement Provisions › § 1628
Summary
The Secretary can let U.S. customs officers share information or documents with foreign customs and law enforcement when the Secretary thinks it is needed to make sure U.S. laws are followed, to carry out international agreements, to help U.S. investigations or court cases, or for similar actions by foreign authorities. Before sharing, the Secretary must get promises that the foreign agency will keep the information secret and only use it for the law‑enforcement reason given. If a foreign agency breaks that promise, no more information can be shared with it. The Secretary can also allow exchanges with government agencies of USMCA countries to carry out chapters 2, 4, 5, 6, or 7 of the USMCA, but only with the same confidentiality and government‑use promises. “USMCA” and “USMCA country” are defined in section 4502.
Full Legal Text
Title 19, §1628
Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Secretary may by regulation authorize customs officers to exchange information or documents with foreign customs and law enforcement agencies if the Secretary reasonably believes the exchange of information is necessary to—
(1)insure compliance with any law or regulation enforced or administered by the Customs Service;
(2)administer or enforce multilateral or bilateral agreements to which the United States is a party;
(3)assist in investigative, judicial and quasi-judicial proceedings in the United States; and
(4)an action comparable to any of those described in paragraphs (1) through (4) 11 So in original. Probably should be “(3)”. undertaken by a foreign customs or law enforcement agency, or in relation to a proceeding in a foreign country.
(b)(1)Information may be provided to foreign customs and law enforcement agencies under subsection (a) only if the Secretary obtains assurances from such agencies that such information will be held in confidence and used only for the law enforcement purposes for which such information is provided to such agencies by the Secretary.
(2)No information may be provided under subsection (a) to any foreign customs or law enforcement agency that has violated any assurances described in paragraph (1).
(c)(1)The Secretary may authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to exchange information with any government agency of a USMCA country, if the Secretary—
(A)reasonably believes the exchange of information is necessary to implement chapter 2, 4, 5, 6, or 7 of the USMCA; and
(B)obtains assurances from such agency that the information will be held in confidence and used only for governmental purposes.
(2)In this subsection, the terms “USMCA” and “USMCA country” have the meanings given those terms in section 4502 of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2020—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–113 added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary may authorize the Customs Service to exchange information with any government agency of a NAFTA country, as defined in section 3301(4) of this title, if the Secretary— “(1) reasonably believes the exchange of information is necessary to implement chapter 3, 4, or 5 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and “(2) obtains assurances from such country that the information will be held in confidence and used only for governmental purposes.” 1993—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–182 added subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2020 Amendment; Retention of Authority To Exchange InformationAmendment by Pub. L. 116–113 effective on the date the USMCA enters into force (July 1, 2020) and applicable with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after that date, see section 209(d) of Pub. L. 116–113, set out as an
Effective Date
of 2020 Amendment note under section 1304 of this title. Pub. L. 116–113, title II, § 209(e), Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 53, provided that: “Notwithstanding the amendment made by subsection (c) [amending this section], the Secretary of the Treasury shall retain the authority provided in section 628(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 [19 U.S.C. 1628(c)] (as in effect on the day before the date on which the USMCA enters into force [July 1, 2020]) to exchange information with any government agency of a NAFTA country (as defined in section 2 of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act [19 U.S.C. 3301] (as in effect on the day before the date on which the USMCA enters into force)).” [For definition of “USMCA” as used in section 209(e) of Pub. L. 116–113, set out above, see section 4502 of this title.]
Effective Date
of 1993 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–182 effective on the date the North American Free Trade Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States (Jan. 1, 1994), see section 213(b) of Pub. L. 103–182, formerly set out as an
Effective Date
note under former section 3331 of this title.
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
19 U.S.C. § 1628
Title 19 — Customs Duties
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73