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Title 8, Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-110

§1373 Communication Between Government Agencies and the Immigration and Naturalization Service

Title 8 › CHAPTER 12 — IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY › SUBCHAPTER II — IMMIGRATION › Part IX — Miscellaneous › § 1373

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal, state, and local governments and their officials may not stop or limit sharing information with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) about anyone’s citizenship or immigration status, whether legal or not. They also may not stop agencies from sending, asking for, keeping, or sharing that information with other government agencies. The INS must answer agency requests to check a person’s citizenship or immigration status for any purpose allowed by law and for people in the agency’s area.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1373

Aliens and Nationality, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State, or local law, a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.
(b)Additional authority of government entities
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal, State, or local law, no person or agency may prohibit, or in any way restrict, a Federal, State, or local government entity from doing any of the following with respect to information regarding the immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual:
(1)Sending such information to, or requesting or receiving such information from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
(2)Maintaining such information.
(3)Exchanging such information with any other Federal, State, or local government entity.
(c)Obligation to respond to inquiries
The Immigration and Naturalization Service shall respond to an inquiry by a Federal, State, or local government agency, seeking to verify or ascertain the citizenship or immigration status of any individual within the jurisdiction of the agency for any purpose authorized by law, by providing the requested verification or status information.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, and also as part of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997, and not as part of the Immigration and Nationality Act which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and

Transfer of Functions

For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service,

Transfer of Functions

, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1373

Title 8, Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110