SUBCHAPTER V—REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN PERSONS TRAINED IN FOREIGN ESPIONAGE SYSTEMS

§851. Registration of certain persons; filing statement; regulations

Except as provided in section 852 of this title, every person who has knowledge of, or has received instruction or assignment in, the espionage, counter-espionage, or sabotage service or tactics of a government of a foreign country or of a foreign political party, shall register with the Attorney General by filing with the Attorney General a registration statement in duplicate, under oath, prepared and filed in such manner and form, and containing such statements, information, or documents pertinent to the purposes and objectives of this subchapter as the Attorney General, having due regard for the national security and the public interest, by regulations prescribes.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §2, 70 Stat. 899.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Separability

Act Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §9, 70 Stat. 900, provided: "If any provision of this Act [enacting this subchapter] or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the Act, and the application of such provisions to other persons or circumstances, is not affected thereby."

§852. Exemption from registration

The registration requirements of section 851 of this title do not apply to any person—

(a) who has obtained knowledge of or received instruction or assignment in the espionage, counter-espionage, or sabotage service or tactics of a foreign government or foreign political party by reason of civilian, military, or police service or employment with the United States Government, the governments of the several States, their political subdivisions, the District of Columbia, the Territories, or the Canal Zone;

(b) who has obtained such knowledge solely by reason of academic or personal interest not under the supervision of or in preparation for service with the government of a foreign country or a foreign political party;

(c) who has made full disclosure of such knowledge, instruction, or assignment to officials within an agency of the United States Government having responsibilities in the field of intelligence, which disclosure has been made a matter of record in the files of such agency, and concerning whom a written determination has been made by the Attorney General or the Director of Central Intelligence that registration would not be in the interest of national security;

(d) whose knowledge of, or receipt of instruction or assignment in, the espionage, counterespionage, or sabotage service or tactics of a government of a foreign country or of a foreign political party, is a matter of record in the files of an agency of the United States Government having responsibilities in the field of intelligence and concerning whom a written determination is made by the Attorney General or the Director of Central Intelligence, based on all information available, that registration would not be in the interest of national security;

(e) who is a duly accredited diplomatic or consular officer of a foreign government, who is so recognized by the Department of State, while he is engaged exclusively in activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such officer, and any member of his immediate family who resides with him;

(f) who is an official of a foreign government recognized by the United States, whose name and status and the character of whose duties as such official are of record in the Department of State, and while he is engaged exclusively in activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such official, and any member of his immediate family who resides with him;

(g) who is a member of the staff of or employed by a duly accredited diplomatic or consular officer of a foreign government who is so recognized by the Department of State, and whose name and status and the character of whose duties as such member or employee are a matter of record in the Department of State, while he is engaged exclusively in the performance of activities recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such member or employee;

(h) Who ¹ is an officially acknowledged and sponsored representative of a foreign government and is in the United States on an official mission for the purpose of conferring or otherwise cooperating with United States intelligence or security personnel;

(i) who is a civilian or one of the military personnel of a foreign armed service coming to the United States pursuant to arrangements made under a mutual defense treaty or agreement, or who has been invited to the United States at the request of an agency of the United States Government; or

(j) who is a person designated by a foreign government to serve as its representative in or to an international organization in which the United States participates or is an officer or employee of such an organization or who is a member of the immediate family of, and resides with, such a representative, officer, or employee.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §3, 70 Stat. 899.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director's capacity as the head of the intelligence community deemed to be a reference to the Director of National Intelligence. Reference to the Director of Central Intelligence or the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the Director's capacity as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency deemed to be a reference to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. See section 1081(a), (b) of Pub. L. 108–458, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.

¹ So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.

§853. Retention of registration statements; public examination; withdrawal

The Attorney General shall retain in permanent form one copy of all registration statements filed under this subchapter. They shall be public records and open to public examination at such reasonable hours and under such regulations as the Attorney General prescribes, except that the Attorney General, having due regard for the national security and public interest, may withdraw any registration statement from public examination.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §4, 70 Stat. 900.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

§854. Rules, regulations, and forms

The Attorney General may at any time, make, prescribe, amend, and rescind such rules, regulations and forms as he deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §5, 70 Stat. 900.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

§855. Violations; penalties; deportation

(a) Whoever willfully violates any provision of this subchapter or any regulation thereunder, or in any registration statement willfully make ¹ a false statement of a material fact or willfully omits any material fact, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both.

(b) Any alien convicted of a violation of this subchapter or any regulation thereunder is subject to deportation in the manner provided by chapter 4 of title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.].

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §6, 70 Stat. 900; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, §308(g)(9)(B), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–624.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163. Chapter 4 of title II of the Act is classified generally to part IV (§1221 et seq.) of subchapter II of chapter 12 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1101 of Title 8 and Tables.

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–208 substituted "chapter 4 of title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act" for "chapter 5, title II, of the Immigration and Nationality Act (66 Stat. 163)".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–208 effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 309 of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1101 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "makes".

§856. Continuing offense

Failure to file a registration statement as required by this subchapter is a continuing offense for as long as such failure exists, notwithstanding any statute of limitation or other statute to the contrary.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §7, 70 Stat. 900.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

§857. Compliance with other registration statutes

Compliance with the registration provisions of this subchapter does not relieve any person from compliance with any other applicable registration statute.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §8, 70 Stat. 900.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

§858. Applicability to Canal Zone

This subchapter applies to and within the Canal Zone.

(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 849, §10, as added Pub. L. 87–845, §13, Oct. 18, 1962, 76A Stat. 700.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in text, see section 3602(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Codification

Section was not enacted as part of the Internal Security Act of 1950 which comprises subchapters I to III of this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 2, 1963, see section 25 of Pub. L. 87–845, set out as an Effective Date of 1962 Amendment note under section 414 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.