18 U.S.C. § 960
Section 960 · Expedition against friendly nation
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 32 court decisions — leading case Avirgan v. Hull (1991)
Most recently applied in United States v. Al-Imam (March 2019)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
Whoever, within the United States, knowingly begins or sets on foot or provides or prepares a means for or furnishes the money for, or takes part in, any military or naval expedition or enterprise to be carried on from thence against the territory or dominion of any foreign prince or state, or of any colony, district, or people with whom the United States is at peace, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §25 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §13, 35 Stat. 1090; June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title V, §8, 40 Stat. 223).
Words “within the United States” were substituted for “within the jurisdiction” etc., in view of the definition of United States in section 5 of this title.
Reference to territory or possessions of the United States was omitted as covered by definitive section 5 of this title.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $3,000”.
Canal Zone
Applicability of section to Canal Zone, see section 14 of this title.
Cross References
Foreign transients, application of section to, see section 959 of this title.
Jurisdiction of offenses, see section 3241 of this title.
Letters, writings, etc., in violation of this section as nonmailable, see section 1717 of this title.