--- kind: "section" citation: "8 U.S.C. § 1281" title: "8" title_heading: "Aliens and Nationality" number: "1281" heading: "Alien crewmen" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/8/1281" units: - "Chapter 12 — Immigration and Nationality" - "Subchapter II — Immigration" - "Part VI — Special Provisions Relating to Alien Crewmen" --- # §1281. Alien crewmen - (a) **Arrival; submission of list; exceptions—** Upon arrival of any vessel or aircraft in the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38) from any place outside the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38) it shall be the duty of the owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer thereof to deliver to an [immigration officer](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-18) at the port of arrival (1) a complete, true, and correct list containing the names of all [aliens](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) employed on such vessel or aircraft, the positions they respectively hold in the crew of the vessel or aircraft, when and where they were respectively shipped or engaged, and those to be paid off or discharged in the port of arrival; or (2) in the discretion of the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5), such a list containing so much of such information, or such additional or supplemental information, as the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5) shall by regulations prescribe. In the case of a vessel engaged solely in traffic on the Great Lakes, Saint Lawrence River, and connecting waterways, such lists shall be furnished at such times as the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5) may require. - (b) **Reports of illegal landings—** It shall be the duty of any owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer of any vessel or aircraft to report to an [immigration officer](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-18), in writing, as soon as discovered, all cases in which any [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) [crewman](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-10) has illegally landed in the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38) from the vessel or aircraft, together with a description of such [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) and any information likely to lead to his apprehension. - (c) **Departure; submission of list; exceptions—** Before the departure of any vessel or aircraft from any port in the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38), it shall be the duty of the owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer thereof, to deliver to an [immigration officer](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-18) at that port (1) a list containing the names of all [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) employees who were not employed thereon at the time of the arrival at that port but who will leave such port thereon at the time of the departure of such vessel or aircraft and the names of those, if any, who have been paid off or discharged, and of those, if any, who have deserted or landed at that port, or (2) in the discretion of the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5), such a list containing so much of such information, or such additional or supplemental information, as the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5) shall by regulations prescribe. In the case of a vessel engaged solely in traffic on the Great Lakes, Saint Lawrence River, and connecting waterways, such lists shall be furnished at such times as the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5) may require. - (d) **Violations—** In case any owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer shall fail to deliver complete, true, and correct lists or reports of [aliens](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3), or to report cases of desertion or landing, as required by subsections [(a)](#a), [(b)](#b), and [(c)](#c), such owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer, shall, if required by the [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5), pay to the [Commissioner](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-8) the sum of $200 for each [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) concerning whom such lists are not delivered or such reports are not made as required in the preceding subsections. In the case that any owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer of a vessel shall secure [services](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-34) of an [alien](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-3) [crewman](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-10) described in [section 1101(a)(15)(D)(i) of this title](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-15-D-i) to perform longshore work not included in the normal operation and [service](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-34) on board the vessel under [section 1288 of this title](/usc/8/1288.md), the owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer shall pay to the [Commissioner](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-8) the sum of $5,000, and such fine shall be a lien against the vessel. No such vessel or aircraft shall be granted clearance from any port at which it arrives pending the determination of the question of the liability to the payment of such fine, and if such fine is imposed, while it remains unpaid. No such fine shall be remitted or refunded. Clearance may be granted prior to the determination of such question upon deposit of a bond or a sum sufficient to cover such fine. - (e) **Regulations—** The [Attorney General](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-5) is authorized to prescribe by regulations the circumstances under which a vessel or aircraft shall be deemed to be arriving in, or departing from the [United States](/usc/8/1101.md?p=a-38) or any port thereof within the meaning of any provision of this part. ## Source credit (June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 6, § 251, 66 Stat. 219; Pub. L. 101–649, title II, § 203(b), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 5018; Pub. L. 102–232, title III, § 303(a)(3), Dec. 12, 1991, 105 Stat. 1746.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Amendments 1991—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–232 substituted “consignee” for “charterer” after “the owner, agent,” in second sentence. 1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–649 substituted “pay to the Commissioner the sum of $200” for “pay to the collector of customs of any customs district in which the vessel or aircraft may at any time be found the sum of $10” and inserted after first sentence “In the case that any owner, agent, consignee, master, or commanding officer of a vessel shall secure services of an alien crewman described in section 1101(a)(15)(D)(i) of this title to perform longshore work not included in the normal operation and service on board the vessel under section 1288 of this title, the owner, agent, charterer, master, or commanding officer shall pay to the Commissioner the sum of $5,000, and such fine shall be a lien against the vessel.” ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date of 1991 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 102–232 effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101–649, see section 310(1) of Pub. L. 102–232, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. ### Effective Date of 1990 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 101–649 applicable to services performed on or after 180 days after Nov. 29, 1990, see section 203(d) of Pub. L. 101–649, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title. ### 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. ### Inapplicability of Amendment by Pub. L. 101–649 Amendment by section 203(b) of Pub. L. 101–649 not to affect performance of longshore work in United States by citizens or nationals of United States, see section 203(a)(2) of Pub. L. 101–649, set out as a note under section 1288 of this title.