Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§2389 Recruiting for Service Against United States
Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 115— TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES › § 2389
Summary
Recruiting soldiers or sailors, or opening a recruiting station in the United States or places it controls to get people to fight against the United States, is illegal. Punishment: fine or up to five years in prison.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §2389
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever recruits soldiers or sailors within the United States, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction thereof, to engage in armed hostility against the same; or Whoever opens within the United States, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction thereof, a recruiting station for the enlistment of such soldiers or sailors to serve in any manner in armed hostility against the United States— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 7 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 7, 35 Stat. 1089). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in last par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 2389
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60