§ 444. — American Red Cross vessels.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC444]
TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
CHAPTER 9--FOREIGN WARS, WAR MATERIALS, AND NEUTRALITY
SUBCHAPTER II--NEUTRALITY
Sec. 444. American Red Cross vessels
(a) Transport of officers, American Red Cross personnel, medical
personnel, medical supplies, food and clothing
The provisions of section 442(a) \1\ of this title shall not
prohibit the transportation by vessels, unarmed and not under convoy,
under charter or other direction and control of the American Red Cross
of officers and American Red Cross personnel, medical personnel, and
medical supplies, food, and clothing, for the relief of human suffering:
Provided, That where permission has not been given by the blockading
power, no American Red Cross vessel shall enter a port where a blockade
by aircraft, surface vessel, or submarine is being attempted through the
destruction of vessels, or into a port of any country where such
blockade of the whole country is being so attempted: Provided further,
That such American Red Cross vessel shall be on a mission of mercy only
and carrying only Red Cross materials and personnel.
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\1\ See References in Text note below.
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(b) Transport of refugee children
The provisions of sections 442(a) and 443 \1\ of this title shall
not prohibit a vessel, in ballast, unarmed, and not under convoy, and
transporting refugee children, under sixteen years of age, from war
zones, or combat areas, and shall not prohibit such vessel entering into
such war zones or combat areas for this purpose, together with such
necessary American citizen adult personnel in charge as may be approved
by the Secretary of State, subject to the provisions of the immigration
laws, if such vessel is proceeding under safe conduct granted by all of
the States named in the proclamations issued under the authority of
section 441(a) of this title, and if such vessel has painted on a large
scale prominently, distinctly, and unmistakably on each side thereof and
upon the superstructure thereof plainly visible from the air an American
flag and a statement to the effect that such vessel is a refugee-child
rescue ship of the United States or under United States registry:
Provided, That every such child so brought into the United States shall,
previous to departure from the port of embarkation, have been so
sponsored by some responsible American person, natural or corporate,
that he will not become a public charge.
(Nov. 4, 1939, ch. 2, Sec. 4, 54 Stat. 7; June 26, 1940, ch. 431, 54
Stat. 611; Aug. 27, 1940, ch. 695, 54 Stat. 866.)
References in Text
Sections 442(a) and 443 of this title, referred to in subsecs. (a)
and (b), were repealed by act Nov. 17, 1941, ch. 473, Sec. 1, 55 Stat.
764.
The immigration laws, referred to in subsec. (b), are classified
generally to Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. See also section
1101(a)(17) of Title 8.
Amendments
1940--Act June 26, 1940, inserted ``unarmed and not under convoy'',
inserted two proviso clauses and struck out ``proceeding under safe
conduct granted by states named in any proclamation issued under the
authority of section 441(a) of this title'' after ``control of the
American Red Cross''.
Act Aug. 27, 1940, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and
added subsec. (b).
