PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

It makes it a crime to knowingly destroy, hide, take, or keep someone else’s passport, visa, or other government ID in certain situations. It is illegal when it happens while committing the listed trafficking or forced-labor crimes (sections 1581, 1583, 1584, 1589, 1590, 1591, or 1594(a)); when done with the intent to commit some of those crimes (sections 1581, 1583, 1584, 1589, 1590, or 1591); or when done to stop or limit a trafficking victim’s movement so the victim must keep working. A person who breaks this can be fined, jailed for up to 5 years, or both. If a person is or was a trafficking victim and the act was caused by the trafficking, they are not covered by the crime. Anyone who obstructs enforcement of this rule faces the same penalties.

Title 18, §1592

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever knowingly destroys, conceals, removes, confiscates, or possesses any actual or purported passport or other immigration document, or any other actual or purported government identification document, of another person—

(1)in the course of a violation of section 1581, 1583, 1584, 1589, 1590, 1591, or 1594(a);

(2)with intent to violate section 1581, 1583, 1584, 1589, 1590, or 1591; or

(3)to prevent or restrict or to attempt to prevent or restrict, without lawful authority, the person’s liberty to move or travel, in order to maintain the labor or services of that person, when the person is or has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, as defined in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000,

shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.

(b)Subsection (a) does not apply to the conduct of a person who is or has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, as defined in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, if that conduct is caused by, or incident to, that trafficking.

(c)Whoever 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 (a).

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, referred to in subsecs. (a)(3) and (b), is classified to section 7102 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–457 added subsec. (c).

§1592 Unlawful Conduct with Respect to Documents in Furtherance of Trafficking, Peonage, Slavery, Involuntary Servitude, or Forced Labor

Summary

Title 18, §1592

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Amendments

Citations & Metadata