# Alien Registration Act of 1940

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An Act To prohibit certain subversive activities; to amend certain provisions of law with respect to the admission and deportation of aliens; to require the fingerprinting and registration of aliens; and for other purposes.
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​[CHAPTER 439]
AN ACT
June 28, 1940 [H.R. 5138] [Public, No. 670]To prohibit certain subversive activities; to amend certain provisions of law with respect to the admission and deportation of aliens; to require the fingerprinting and registration of aliens; and for other purposes.
Alien Registration Act, 1940.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I
Section 1.Interference with loyalty, etc., of U.S. military or naval forces. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person, with intent to interfere with, impair, or influence the loyalty, morale, or discipline of the military or naval forces of the United States—
    Urging disloyalty, etc.(1) to advise, counsel, urge, or in any manner cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States; or
    Distribution of printed matter urging disloyalty, etc.(2) to distribute any written or printed matter which advises, counsels, or urges insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the military or naval forces of the United States.
“Military or naval forces of the United States” defined.(b) For the purposes of this section, the term “military or naval forces of the United States” includes the Army of the United States, as defined in section 1 of the National Defense Act39 Stat. 166. of June 3, 1916, as amended (48 Stat. 153; U.S.C., title 10, sec. 2), the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Naval Reserve, and Marine Corps Reserve of the United States; and, when any merchant vessel is commissioned in the Navy or is in the service of the Army or the Navy, includes the master, officers, and crew of such vessel.
​Sec. 2. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person—
    Advocating overthrow of any government in U.S. by force, etc.(1) to knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise, or teach the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government;
    Distribution, etc., of printed matter advocating such overthrow.(2) with the intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any government in the United States, to print, publish, edit, issue, circulate, sell, distribute, or publicly display any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence;
    Organizing or affiliating with societies, etc., advocating such overthrow.(3) to organize or help to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any government in the United States by force or violence; or to be or become a member of, or affiliate with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof.
“Government in the United States” defined.(b) For the purposes of this section, the term “government in the United States” means the Government of the United States, the government of any State, Territory, or possession of the United States, the government of the District of Columbia, or the government of any political subdivision of any of them.
Sec. 3.Attempting, etc., to commit any of prohibited acts. It shall be unlawful for any person to attempt to commit, or to conspire to commit, any of the acts prohibited by the provisions of this title.
Sec. 4.Removal of forbidden printed, etc., matter under search warrant. Any written or printed matter of the character described in section 1 or section 2 of this Act, which is intended for use in violation of this Act, may be taken from any house or other place in which it may be found, or from any person in whose possession it may be, under a search warrant issued pursuant to the provisions of title XI of the Act entitled “An Act to punish acts of interference with the foreign relations, the neutrality and the foreign commerce of the United States, to punish espionage, and better to enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and for other purposes”, approved June 15, 1917 (40 Stat. 228; U.S.C., title 18, ch. 18).
Sec. 5.Penalty. (a) Any person who violates any of the provisions of this title shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than ten years, or both.
Restriction on U.S. employment of convicted person.(b) No person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this title shall, during the five years next following his conviction, be eligible for employment by the United States, or by any department or agency thereof (including any corporation the stock of which is wholly owned by the United States).

## TITLE IITITLE II

Sec. 20.Immigration Act of 1917, amendment. Section 19 of the Immigration Act of February 5, 1917 (39 Stat. 889; U.S.C., title 8, sec. 155), as amended, is amended by inserting, after “Sec. 19.”, the letter “(a)”, and by adding at the end of such section the following new subsections:
“(b)Deportation of additional classes of aliens. Any alien of any of the classes specified in this subsection, in addition to aliens who are deportable under other provisions of law, shall, upon warrant of the Attorney General, be taken into custody and deported:
    “(1)Aliens assisting, etc., in illegal entry of other aliens. Any alien who, at any time within five years after entry, shall have, knowingly and for gain, encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided any other alien to enter or to try to enter the United States in violation of law.
    "(2) Any alien who, at any time after entry, shall have on more than one occasion, knowingly and for gain, encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided any other alien or aliens to enter or to try to enter the United States in violation of law.
    "(3)Aliens convicted of possessing, etc., designated weapons. Any alien who, at any time after entry, shall have been convicted of possessing or carrying in violation of any law any weapon which shoots or is designed to shoot automatically or semiautomatically more than one shot without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger, or a weapon commonly called a sawed-off shotgun.
    "(4)Aliens convicted under title I. Any alien who, at any time within five years after entry, shall have been convicted of violating the provisions of title I of the Alien Registration Act, 1940.
    "(5) Any alien who, at any time after entry,M shall have been convicted more than once of violating the provisions of title I of the Alien Registration Act, 1940.
Deportation to await termination of imprisonment, etc.No alien who is deportable under the provisions of paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection shall be deported until the termination of his imprisonment or the entry of an order releasing him on probation or parole.
"(c)Aliens of proved good moral character. In the case of any alien (other than one to whom subsection (d) is applicable) who is deportable under any law of the United States and who has proved good moral character for the preceding five years, the Attorney General may (1)Departure in lieu of deportation. permit such alien to depart the United States to any country of his choice at his own expense, in lieu of deportation, or (2) Suspension of deportation; condition. suspend deportation of such alien if not racially inadmissible or ineligible to naturalization in the United States if he finds that such deportation would result in serious economic detriment to a citizen or legally resident alien who is the spouse, parent, or minor child of such deportable alien. Suspensions of more than 6 months; report to Congress.If the deportation any alien is suspended under the provisions of this subsection for more than six months, all of the facts and pertinent provisions of law in the case shall be reported to the Congress within ten days after the beginning of its next regular session, with the reasons for such suspension. The Clerk of the House shall have such report printed as a public document. Deportation upon passage of adverse concurrent resolution.If during that session the two Houses pass a concurrent resolution stating in substance that the Congress does not favor the suspension of such deportation, the Attorney General shall thereupon deport such alien in the manner provided by law. Cancelation of deportation proceedings; exception.If during that session the two Houses do not pass such a resolution, the Attorney General shall cancel deportation proceedings upon the termination of such session, except that such proceedings shall not be canceled in the case of any alien who was not legally admitted for permanent residence at the time of his last entry into the United States unless such alien pays to the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization a fee of $18 (which fee shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts). Recording alien's admission for permanent residence.Upon the cancelation of such proceedings in any case in which such fee has been paid, the Commissioner shall record the alien's admission for permanent residence as of the date of his last entry into the United States and the Secretary of State shall, If alien a quota immigrant; action required.if the alien was a quota immigrant at the time of entry and was not charged to the appropriate quota, reduce by one the immigration quota of the country of the alien's nationality as defined in section 12 of the Act of May 26, 192443 Stat. 160. (U.S.C., title 8, sec. 212), for the fiscal year then current or next following.
"(d)Designated provisions not applicable to certain aliens. The provisions of subsection (c) shall not be applicable in the case of any alien who is deportable under (1) the Act of October 16, 191840 Stat. 1012. (40 Stat. 1008 ; U . S . C., title 8, sec. 137), entitled 'An Act ​to exclude and expel from the United States aliens who are members of the anarchist and similar classes', as amended; (2) the Act of May 26, 1922, entitled 'An Act to amend the Act entitled "An Act to prohibit the importation and use of opium for other than medicinal purposes", approved February 9, 1909, as amended' (42 Stat. 596; U.S.C., title 21, sec. 175); (3) the Act of February 18, 1931, entitled 'An Act to provide for the deportation of aliens convicted and sentenced for violation of any law regulating traffic in narcotics', as amended (46 Stat. 1171 ; U.S.C., title 8, sec. 156a); (4) any of the provisions of so much of subsection (a) of this section as relates to criminals, prostitutes, procurers, or other immoral persons, the mentally and physically deficient, anarchists, and similar classes; or (5) subsection (b) of this section."
Sec. 21.Act of Feb. 18, 1931, amendments. 46 Stat. 1171. 8 U.S.C. §156a. The Act entitled "An Act to provide for the deportation of aliens convicted and sentenced for violation of any law regulating traffic in narcotics", approved February 18, 1931, is amended—
    (1) By striking out the words "and sentenced";
    (2) By inserting after the words "any statute of the United States" the following: "or of any State, Territory, possession, or of the District of Columbia,"; and
    (3) By inserting after the word "heroin" a comma and the word "marihuana".
Sec. 22.Acts committed prior to enactment. No alien shall be deportable by reason of the amendments made by section 20 or 21 on account of any act committed prior to the date of enactment of this Act.
Sec. 23.Act of Oct. 16, 1918, amendments. 40 Stat. 1012. 8 U.S.C. §137. (a) The first paragraph of section 1 of the Act entitled "An Act to exclude and expel from the United States aliens who are members of the anarchistic and similar classes", approved October 16, 1918, as amended, is amended to read as follows:
Exclusion, it member of any one of designated classes of aliens."That any alien who, at any time, shall be or shall have been a member of any one of the following classes shall be excluded from admission into the United States :".
40 Stat. 1012. 8 U.S.C. §137.(b) Section 2 of such Act of October 16, 1918, as amended, is amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 2.Deportation. Any alien who was at the time of entering the United States, or has been at any time thereafter, a member of any one of the classes of aliens enumerated in section 1 of this Act, shall, upon the warrant of the Attorney General, be taken into custody and deported in the manner provided in the Immigration Act of February 5, 191739 Stat. 889. 8 U.S.C. §155.. The provisions of this section shall be applicable to the classes of aliens mentioned in this Act, irrespective of the time of their entry into the United States."
TITLE III
Sec. 30.Registration and fingerprinting of aliens. Issuance of visas. No visa shall hereafter be issued to any alien seeking to enter the United States unless said alien has been registered and fingerprinted in duplicate. One copy of the registration and fingerprint record shall be retained by the consul. The second copy shall be attached to the alien's visa and shall be taken up by the examining immigrant inspector at the port of arrival of the alien in the United States and forwarded to the Department of Justice, at Washington, District of Columbia.
Exclusion of aliens not presenting visas, etc.; exception.Any alien seeking to enter the United States who does not present a visa (except in emergency cases defined by the Secretary of State), a reentry permit, or a border-crossing identification card shall be excluded from admission to the United States.
Sec. 31.Duty of aliens 14 years of age or older. (a) It shall be the duty of every alien now or hereafter in the United States, who (1) is fourteen years of age or older, (2) ​has not been registered and fingerprinted under section 30, and (3) remains in the United States for thirty days or longer, to apply for registration and to be fingerprinted before the expiration of such thirty days.
Duty of parent, etc., of alien less than 14 years of age.(b) It shall be the duty of every parent or legal guardian of any alien now or hereafter in the United States, who (1) is less than fourteen years of age, (2) has not been registered under section 30, and (3) remains in the United States for thirty days or longer, to apply for the registration of such alien before the expiration of such thirty days. Application in person on 14th birthday.Whenever any alien attains his fourteenth birthday in the United States he shall, within thirty days thereafter, apply in person for registration and to be fingerprinted.
Sec. 32. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 30 and 31—
    Application for registration, etc., time limitation.(a) The application for the registration and fingerprinting, or for the registration, of any alien who is in the United States on the effective date of such sections may be made at any time within four months after such date.
    Foreign government officials, etc., exempted.(b) No foreign government official, or member of his family, shall be required to to registered or fingerprinted under this title.
    Special regulations for designated aliens, etc.(c) The Commissioner is authorized to prescribe, with the approval of the Attorney General, special regulations for the registration and fingerprinting of (1) alien seamen, (2) holders of border-crossing identification cards, (3) aliens confined in institutions within the United States, (4) aliens under order of deportation, and (5) aliens of any other class not lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence.
Sec. 33.Places for making application. (a) All applications for registration and fingerprinting under section 31 shall be made at post offices or such other places as may be designated by the Commissioner.
Duties of postmasters.(b) It shall be the duty of every postmaster, with such assistance as shall be provided by the Commissioner, to register and fingerprint any applicant for registration and fingerprinting under such section, and for such purposes to designate appropriate space in the local post office for such registration and fingerprinting. Disposition of registration, etc., records.Every postmaster shall forward promptly to the Department of Justice, at Washington, District of Columbia, the registration and fingerprint record of every alien registered and fingerprinted by him. Designation of other places for registration, etc.The Commissioner may designate such other places for registration and fingerprinting as may be necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act, and provide for registration and fingerprinting of aliens at such places by officers or employees of the Immigration and Naturalization Service designated by the Commissioner. The duties imposed upon any postmaster under this Act shall also be performed by any employees at the post office of such postmaster who are designated by the postmaster for such purpose.
Sec. 34.Forms for registration and fingerprinting. Contents. (a) The Commissioner is authorized and directed to prepare forms for the registration and fingerprinting of aliens under this title. Such forms shall contain inquiries with respect to (1) the date and place of entry of the alien into the United States; (2) activities in which he has been and intends to be engaged; (3) the length of time he expects to remain in the United States; (4) the criminal record, if any, of such alien; and (5) such additional matters as may he prescribed by the Commissioner, with the approval of the Attorney General.
Availability of records.(b) All registration and fingerprint records made under the provisions of this title shall be secret and confidential, and shall be made available only to such persons or agencies as may be designated by the Commissioner, with the approval of the Attorney General.
Submission of information under oath.(c) Every person required to apply for the registration of himself or another under this title shall submit under oath the information ​required for such registration. Administering of oaths.Any person authorized to register aliens under this title shall be authorized to administer oaths for such purpose.
Sec. 35.Notification of changes of residence, etc., by alien residents of U.S. Any alien required to be registered under this title who is a resident of the United States shall notify the Commissioner in writing of each change of residence and new address within five days from the date of such change. Other aliens.Any other alien required to be registered under this title shall notify the Commissioner in writing of his address at the expiration of each three months' period of residence in the United States. In the case of an alien for whom a parent or legal guardian is required to apply for registration, the notices required by this section shall be given by such parent or legal guardian.
Sec. 36.Failure to apply for registration, etc. (a) Any alien required to apply for registration and to be fingerprinted who willfully fails or refuses to make such application or to be fingerprinted, and any parent or legal guardian required to apply for the registration of any alien who willfully fails or refuses to file application for the registration of such alien Penalty.shall, upon conviction thereof be fined not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
Failure to give written notice of change of address.(b) Any alien, or any parent or legal guardian of any alien, who fails to give written notice to the Commissioner of change of address as required by section 35 of this Act Penalty.shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not to exceed $100, or be imprisoned not more than thirty days or both.
Filing application containing false statements; fraud.(c) Any alien or any parent or legal guardian of any alien, who files an application for registration containing statements known by him to be false, or who procures or attempts to procure registration of himself or another person through fraud, Penalty.shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not to exceed $1,000, or be imprisoned not more than six months, or both; Deportation of designated aliens.and any alien so convicted within five years after entry into the United States shall, upon the warrant of the Attorney General, be taken into custody and be deported in the manner provided in sections 19 and 20 of the Immigration Act of February 5, 191739 Stat. 889, 890. 8 U.S.C. §§155,166., as amended.
Sec. 37.Rules and regulations. (a) The Commissioner, with the approval of the Attorney General, is authorized and empowered to make and prescribe, and from time to time to change and amend, such rules and regulations not in conflict with this Act as he may deem necessary and proper in aid of the administration and enforcement of this title Identification of registered aliens.(including provisions for the identification of aliens registered under this title); except that all such rules and regulations, insofar as they relate to the performance of functions by consular officers or officers or employees in the Postal Service, shall be prescribed by the Secretary of State and the Postmaster General, respectively, upon recommendation of the Attorney General. Delegation of powers.The powers conferred upon the Attorney General by this Act and all other powers of the Attorney General relating to the administration of the Immigration and Naturalization Service may be exercised by the Attorney General through such officers of the Department of Justice, including officers of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, attorneys, special attorneys, and special assistants to the Attorney General, as he may designate specifically for such purposes.
Authorization for expenditures, personal services, etc.(b) The Commissioner is authorized to make such expenditures, to employ such additional temporary and permanent employees, and to rent such quarters outside the District of Columbia as may be necessary for carrying out the provisions of this title.
Sec. 38. (a) For the purposes of this title—
    "United States" defined.(1) the term "United States", when used in a geographical sense, means the States, the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; ​
    "Commissioner" defined.(2) the term "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization.
Effective dates.(b) The provisions of this title shall take effect upon the date of enactment of this Act; except that sections 30 and 31 shall take effect sixty days after the date of its enactment.
Sec. 39.Registration, etc. of aliens in Canal Zone. The President is authorized to provide, by Executive order, for the registration and fingerprinting, in a manner as nearly similar to that provided in this title as he deems practicable, of aliens in the Panama Canal Zone.

## TITLE IVTITLE IV

Sec. 40.Separability clause. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the Act, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 41.Short title. This Act may be cited as the "Alien Registration Act, 1940".
Approved, June 28, 1940.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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