Codified text.
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
Editorial commentary — not part of the primary text.
Editorial note. Source credits are preserved as editorial metadata derived from the official Office of the Law Revision Counsel publication.
Editorial note. June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 696; Pub. L. 90–284, title I, § 103(b), Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 75; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7019, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4396; Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60006(b), title XXXII, §§ 320103(b), 320201(b), title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1970, 2109, 2113, 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§ 604(b)(14)(B), 607(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507, 3511.
Revision history
- 1948-06-25 — Enacted as part of the Title 18 recodification (act of June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 696).
- 1968-04-11 — Amended by section 103(b) of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Pub. L. 90-284, 82 Stat. 75).
- 1988-11-18 — Amended by section 7019 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690, 102 Stat. 4396).
- 1994-09-13 — Amended by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1970).
- 1996-10-11 — Amended by Pub. L. 104-294 (110 Stat. 3507, 3511).