United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. Steamship "Coamo", 267 U.S. 220 (1925)

United States v. Steamship "Coamo"

No. 47

Argued October 8, 1924

Decided March 2, 1925

267 U.S. 220

Syllabus

Section 10 of the Immigration Act, 1917, makes it the duty of any person, including owners, officers and agents of vessels, bringing in an alien, to prevent his landing at a time or place other than as designated by the immigration officers, and punishes failure to comply by a fine in each case of not less than $200 nor more than $1,000, or by imprisonment, or both, but provides that if, in the opinion of the Secretary of Labor, it is impracticable or inconvenient to prosecute such person, owner, etc.,

"a penalty of $1,000 shall be a lien upon the vessel whose owner, master, officer, or agent violates the provisions of this section, and such vessel shall be libeled therefor in the appropriate United States court."

Held that, where a vessel is so libeled, the penalty is $1,000, neither more nor less, for each alien landing from it in violation of the section. P. 267 U. S. 221.

Question certified by the circuit court of appeals in a libel for violation of the Immigration Act. See 292 F.1d 16.

Page 267 U. S. 221