18 U.S.C. § 3184
Section 3184 · Fugitives from foreign country to United States
Amended 6 times on record
Applied in 344 court decisions — leading case Immigration & Naturalization Service v. Doherty (1992)
Most recently applied in Lalama Gomez v. United States (June 2025)
Applied most in the Ninth Circuit Circuit (44 decisions)
Cases citing this section usually also cite 28 U.S.C. § 2241 · 18 U.S.C. § 3190 · 18 U.S.C. § 3186
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.
Whenever there is a treaty or convention for extradition between the United States and any foreign government, or in cases arising under section 3181(b), any justice or judge of the United States, or any magistrate authorized so to do by a court of the United States, or any judge of a court of record of general jurisdiction of any State, may, upon complaint made under oath, charging any person found within his jurisdiction, with having committed within the jurisdiction of any such foreign government any of the crimes provided for by such treaty or convention, or provided for under section 3181(b), issue his warrant for the apprehension of the person so charged, that he may be brought before such justice, judge, or magistrate, to the end that the evidence of criminality may be heard and considered. Such complaint may be filed before and such warrant may be issued by a judge or magistrate of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia if the whereabouts within the United States of the person charged are not known or, if there is reason to believe the person will shortly enter the United States. If, on such hearing, he deems the evidence sufficient to sustain the charge under the provisions of the proper treaty or convention, or under section 3181(b), he shall certify the same, together with a copy of all the testimony taken before him, to the Secretary of State, that a warrant may issue upon the requisition of the proper authorities of such foreign government, for the surrender of such person, according to the stipulations of the treaty or convention; and he shall issue his warrant for the commitment of the person so charged to the proper jail, there to remain until such surrender shall be made.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §651 (R.S. §5270; June 6, 1900, ch. 793, 31 Stat. 656).
Minor changes of phraseology were made.
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–132, in first sentence, inserted “or in cases arising under section 3181(b),” after “United States and any foreign government,” and “or provided for under section 3181(b),” after “treaty or convention,” and in third sentence, inserted “or under section 3181(b),” after “treaty or convention,”.
1990—Pub. L. 101–647 inserted “or, if there is reason to believe the person will shortly enter the United States” after “are not known” in second sentence.
1988—Pub. L. 100–690 inserted after first sentence “Such complaint may be filed before and such warrant may be issued by a judge or magistrate of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia if the whereabouts within the United States of the person charged are not known.”
1968—Pub. L. 90–578 substituted “magistrate” for “commissioner” in two places.
Change of Name
Reference to United States magistrate or to magistrate deemed to refer to United States magistrate judge pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Effective Date of 1968 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 90–578 effective Oct. 17, 1968, except when a later effective date is applicable, which is the earlier of date when implementation of amendment by appointment of magistrates [now United States magistrate judges] and assumption of office takes place or third anniversary of enactment of Pub. L. 90–578 on Oct. 17, 1968, see section 403 of Pub. L. 90–578, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Cross References
Arrest, power of courts and magistrate judges, see section 3041 of this title.
Surrender of fugitive to agent of foreign government, see section 3186 of this title.