§618. Enforcement and penalties
(a) Violations; false statements and willful omissions
Any person who-
(1) willfully violates any provision of this subchapter or any regulation thereunder, or
(2) in any registration statement or supplement thereto or in any other document filed with or furnished to the Attorney General under the provisions of this subchapter willfully makes a false statement of a material fact or willfully omits any material fact required to be stated therein or willfully omits a material fact or a copy of a material document necessary to make the statements therein and the copies of documents furnished therewith not misleading, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not more than five years, or both, except that in the case of a violation of subsection (b), (e), or (f) of section 614 of this title or of subsection (g) or (h) of this section the punishment shall be a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
(b) Proof of identity of foreign principal
In any proceeding under this subchapter in which it is charged that a person is an agent of a foreign principal with respect to a foreign principal outside of the United States, proof of the specific identity of the foreign principal shall be permissible but not necessary.
(c) Removal
Any alien who shall be convicted of a violation of, or a conspiracy to violate, any provision of this subchapter or any regulation thereunder shall be subject to removal pursuant to chapter 4 of title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.].
(d) Repealed.
Pub. L. 104–65, §9(8)(B), Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 700
(e) Continuing offense
Failure to file any such registration statement or supplements thereto as is required by either section 612(a) or section 612(b) of this title shall be considered a continuing offense for as long as such failure exists, notwithstanding any statute of limitation or other statute to the contrary.
(f) Injunctive remedy; jurisdiction of district court
Whenever in the judgment of the Attorney General any person is engaged in or about to engage in any acts which constitute or will constitute a violation of any provision of this subchapter, or regulations issued thereunder, or whenever any agent of a foreign principal fails to comply with any of the provisions of this subchapter or the regulations issued thereunder, or otherwise is in violation of the subchapter, the Attorney General may make application to the appropriate United States district court for an order enjoining such acts or enjoining such person from continuing to act as an agent of such foreign principal, or for an order requiring compliance with any appropriate provision of the subchapter or regulation thereunder. The district court shall have jurisdiction and authority to issue a temporary or permanent injunction, restraining order or such other order which it may deem proper.
(g) Deficient registration statement
If the Attorney General determines that a registration statement does not comply with the requirements of this subchapter or the regulations issued thereunder, he shall so notify the registrant in writing, specifying in what respects the statement is deficient. It shall be unlawful for any person to act as an agent of a foreign principal at any time ten days or more after receipt of such notification without filing an amended registration statement in full compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and the regulations issued thereunder.
(h) Contingent fee arrangement
It shall be unlawful for any agent of a foreign principal required to register under this subchapter to be a party to any contract, agreement, or understanding, either express or implied, with such foreign principal pursuant to which the amount or payment of the compensation, fee, or other remuneration of such agent is contingent in whole or in part upon the success of any political activities carried on by such agent.
(June 8, 1938, ch. 327, §8, as added Apr. 29, 1942, ch. 263, §1,
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is act June 27, 1952, ch. 477,
Prior Provisions
Provisions on this subject were contained in section 615 of this title prior to general amendment of act June 8, 1938, by act Apr. 29, 1942.
Amendments
1996-Subsec. (c).
1995-Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (d).
1984-Subsec. (f).
1966-Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsecs. (f) to (h).
1956-Act Aug. 1, 1956, amended credit to section by redesignating section 20(b) of act Sept. 23, 1950, as section 20.
1952-Subsec. (c). Act June 27, 1952, substituted "sections 1251 to 1253 of title 8" for "sections 155 and 156 of title 8".
1950-Subsec. (e). Act Sept. 23, 1950, added subsec. (e).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1966 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
Section effective on the sixtieth day after Apr. 29, 1942, except that prior to such sixtieth day the Attorney General may make, prescribe, amend, and rescind such rules, regulations, and forms as may be necessary to carry out act Apr. 29, 1942, see section 3 of act Apr. 29, 1942, set out as an Effective Date of 1942 Amendment note under section 611 of this title.