§1328 — Title 8 Aliens and Nationality | U.S. Code

Summary

Bringing a noncitizen into the United States for prostitution or any other immoral purpose is illegal. It is also illegal to try to bring such a person, to hold them for that purpose after bringing them in, or to keep, control, support, employ, or shelter them in a house or other place for that purpose. A person who does this can be fined under title 18, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both. Cases can be tried in any federal district where the person was brought or where the offense happened. In these trials, a husband or wife may testify against the other.

Title 8, §1328

Aliens and Nationality — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The importation into the United States of any alien for the purpose of prostitution, or for any other immoral purpose, is forbidden. Whoever shall, directly or indirectly, import, or attempt to import into the United States any alien for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose, or shall hold or attempt to hold any alien for any such purpose in pursuance of such illegal importation, or shall keep, maintain, control, support, employ, or harbor in any house or other place, for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose, any alien, in pursuance of such illegal importation, shall be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. The trial and punishment of offenses under this section may be in any district to or into which such alien is brought in pursuance of importation by the person or persons accused, or in any district in which a violation of any of the provisions of this section occurs. In all prosecutions under this section, the testimony of a husband or wife shall be admissible and competent evidence against each other.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Pub. L. 101–649 substituted “shall be fined under title 18, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both” for “shall, in every such case, be guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000 and by imprisonment for a term of not more than ten years”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1990 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 101–649 applicable to actions taken after Nov. 29, 1990, see section 543(c) of Pub. L. 101–649, set out as a note under section 1221 of this title.

§1328 Importation of alien for immoral purpose