Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 37: Violence at international airports

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law prohibits acts of violence at international airports that cause serious injury or death, or damage airport facilities or aircraft, with jurisdiction when the act occurs in the U.S. or involves a U.S. national or offender found in the U.S.

Read the full statutory text
performs an act of violence against a person at an airport serving international civil aviation that causes or is likely to cause serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365 of this title ) or death; or destroys or seriously damages the facilities of an airport serving international civil aviation or a civil aircraft not in service located thereon or disrupts the services of the airport, the prohibited activity takes place in the United States; or the prohibited activity takes place outside the United States and (A) the offender is later found in the United States; or (B) an offender or a victim is a national of the United States (as defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22) )). It is a bar to Federal prosecution under subsection (a) for conduct that occurred within the United States that the conduct involved was during or in relation to a labor dispute, and such conduct is prohibited as a felony under the law of the State in which it was committed. For purposes of this section, the term “labor dispute” has the meaning set forth in section 2(c) 1 of the Norris-LaGuardia Act, as amended ( 1 So in original. Probably should be section “13(c)”. 29 U.S.C. 113(c) ), and the term “State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States. the date of enactment of this Act [ Sept. 13, 1994 ]; or the date on which the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation, done at Montreal on 23 September 1971, has come into force and the United States has become a party to the Protocol.”

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.