Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73not60

§8303 Restriction on Importation or Entry

Title 7 › Chapter 109— ANIMAL HEALTH PROTECTION › § 8303

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

After telling the Treasury Secretary and giving public notice as soon as they can, the Secretary can ban or limit the import or entry of animals, things, or vehicles, or stop using a vehicle or facility, when needed to stop pests or diseases of livestock from getting into or spreading inside the United States. The Secretary can also stop the movement of animals that wandered into the United States. The Secretary may limit use of a transport if it is not clean or does not have safe space for animals. The Secretary can make rules and orders to do these things. They can require imported animals to be kept in quarantine under the Secretary’s supervision so health can be checked. The Secretary can order animals, their offspring, items, or vehicles that threaten livestock health, were brought in illegally, or strayed in to be destroyed or sent out of the country. The Secretary can also require cleaning of vehicles, people who handled the import, and any items used. If an owner does not follow an order, the Secretary can act to remove or destroy the animals or items and charge the owner for the costs.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §8303

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)With notice to the Secretary of the Treasury and public notice as soon as practicable, the Secretary may prohibit or restrict—
(1)the importation or entry of any animal, article, or means of conveyance, or use of any means of conveyance or facility, if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction into or dissemination within the United States of any pest or disease of livestock;
(2)the further movement of any animal that has strayed into the United States if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction into or dissemination within the United States of any pest or disease of livestock; and
(3)the use of any means of conveyance in connection with the importation or entry of livestock if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary because the means of conveyance has not been maintained in a clean and sanitary condition or does not have accommodations for the safe and proper movement of livestock.
(b)(1)The Secretary may issue such orders and promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out subsection (a).
(2)The Secretary may promulgate regulations requiring that any animal imported or entered be raised or handled under post-importation quarantine conditions by or under the supervision of the Secretary for the purpose of determining whether the animal is or may be affected by any pest or disease of livestock.
(c)(1)The Secretary may order the destruction or removal from the United States of—
(A)any animal, article, or means of conveyance that has been imported but has not entered the United States if the Secretary determines that destruction or removal from the United States is necessary to prevent the introduction into or dissemination within the United States of any pest or disease of livestock;
(B)any animal or progeny of any animal, article, or means of conveyance that has been imported or entered in violation of this chapter; or
(C)any animal that has strayed into the United States if the Secretary determines that destruction or removal from the United States is necessary to prevent the introduction into or dissemination within the United States of any pest or disease of livestock.
(2)(A)The Secretary may require the disinfection of—
(i)a means of conveyance used in connection with the importation of an animal;
(ii)an individual involved in the importation of an animal and personal articles of the individual; and
(iii)any article used in the importation of an animal.
(B)If an owner fails to comply with an order of the Secretary under this section, the Secretary may—
(i)take remedial action, destroy, or remove from the United States the animal or progeny of any animal, article, or means of conveyance as authorized under paragraph (1); and
(ii)recover from the owner the costs of any care, handling, disposal, or other action incurred by the Secretary in connection with the remedial action, destruction, or removal.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(B), was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle E (§§ 10401–10418) of title X of Pub. L. 107–171, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 494, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of subtitle E to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 8301 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this chapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 8303

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60