---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 1596"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "1596"
heading: "Additional jurisdiction in certain trafficking offenses"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/1596"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 77 — Peonage, Slavery, and Trafficking in Persons"
---

# §1596. Additional jurisdiction in certain trafficking offenses

- (a) **In General.—** In addition to any domestic or extra-territorial jurisdiction otherwise provided by law, the courts of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) have extra-territorial jurisdiction over any offense (or any attempt or conspiracy to commit an offense) under section [1581](/usc/18/1581.md), [1583](/usc/18/1583.md), [1584](/usc/18/1584.md), [1589](/usc/18/1589.md), [1590](/usc/18/1590.md), or [1591](/usc/18/1591.md) if—
  - (1) an alleged offender is a [national of the United States](/usc/18/178.md?p=5) or an [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as those terms are defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ([8 U.S.C. 1101](/usc/8/1101.md))); or
  - (2) an alleged offender is present in the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), irrespective of the nationality of the alleged offender.
- (b) **Limitation on Prosecutions of Offenses Prosecuted in Other Countries.—** No prosecution may be commenced against a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) under this section if a foreign government, in accordance with jurisdiction recognized by the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), has prosecuted or is prosecuting such [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) for the conduct constituting such offense, except upon the approval of the [Attorney General](/usc/18/841.md?p=k) or the Deputy [Attorney General](/usc/18/841.md?p=k) (or a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) acting in either such capacity), which function of approval may not be delegated.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 110–457, title II, § 223(a), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5071.)