Title 29, LaborRelease 119-110
§1851 Criminal Sanctions
Title 29 › CHAPTER 20 — MIGRANT AND SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKER PROTECTION › SUBCHAPTER V — GENERAL PROVISIONS › Part A — Enforcement Provisions › § 1851
Summary
Intentionally breaking this chapter or its rules is a crime. A first conviction can bring up to a $1,000 fine or 1 year in prison. Later convictions, and certain farm labor contractor violations (8 U.S.C. 1324a(a)(1) or (2)) when the contractor lacks or lost registration, can bring up to a $10,000 fine or 3 years in prison.
Full Legal Text
Title 29, §1851
Labor, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Violations of chapter or regulations
Any person who willfully and knowingly violates this chapter or any regulation under this chapter shall be fined not more than $1,000 or sentenced to prison for a term not to exceed one year, or both. Upon conviction for any subsequent violation of this chapter or any regulation under this chapter, the defendant shall be fined not more than $10,000 or sentenced to prison for a term not to exceed three years, or both.
(b)Violations of section 1324a(a) of title 8
If a farm labor contractor who commits a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) of section 1324a(a) of title 8 has been refused issuance or renewal of, or has failed to obtain, a certificate of registration or is a farm labor contractor whose certificate has been suspended or revoked, the contractor shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or sentenced to prison for a term not to exceed three years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–603 substituted “paragraph (1) or (2) of section 1324a(a) of title 8” for “section 1816 of this title”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–603 applicable to employment, recruitment, referral, or utilization of services of an individual occurring on or after first day of seventh month beginning after Nov. 6, 1986, see section 101(b)(2) of Pub. L. 99–603, as amended, set out as a note under section 1802 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective 90 days from Jan. 14, 1983, see section 524 of Pub. L. 97–470, set out as a note under section 1801 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
29 U.S.C. § 1851
Title 29, Labor
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110