Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-110
§1597 Unlawful Conduct with Respect to Immigration Documents
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 77 — PEONAGE, SLAVERY, AND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS › § 1597
Summary
Makes it a crime to knowingly destroy, hide, take, seize, or hold someone else’s passport or other immigration papers when it happens during a crime under 18 U.S.C. 1351 or 8 U.S.C. 1324, when done with the intent to commit those crimes, or to unlawfully control the person’s work or services. A person who breaks this rule can be fined, jailed for up to 1 year, or both. Anyone who knowingly interferes with enforcing this rule faces the same punishment.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1597
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Destruction, Concealment, Removal, Confiscation, or Possession of Immigration Documents.—
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)Penalty.—
Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.
(c)Obstruction.—
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
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110