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When is Running Guns from the Philippines to Mexico a Federal Crime?

Description: This report discusses the case "United States v. Ubaldo" which concerns whether a gun smuggler who smuggled guns from a foreign country through the United States and then into another foreign country can be charged with a federal crime. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the conviction for conspiracy and causing the importation of weapons in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and ban on importing military firearms.
Date: June 26, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Update: What Constitutes "Sexual Abuse of a Minor" For Immigration Purposes

Description: This report provides an update of an earlier report from April 6, 2017, providing the final decision by the Supreme Court in the case of "Esquivel-Quintana v. Sessions". The case concerned the question of whether an immigrant alien who was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor where the minor was under 18 but at least 16 (in this case statutory rape in California between a 21 year old male and a 17 year female) was removable for an aggravated felony under immigration law. The Supreme Court ruled… more
Date: June 7, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Special Counsels, Independent Counsels, and Special Prosecutors: Options for Independent Executive Investigations

Description: This report analyzes the use of special prosecutors and independent counsels that were authorized under now-expired provisions of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as well as the use of special counsels that are currently authorized by Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations. It also addresses constitutional considerations in establishing independent inquiries to address perceived conflicts of interest between investigating officials and the officials being investigated.
Date: June 1, 2017
Creator: Brown, Cynthia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice

Description: This report provides a an overview of the 2017 fiscal year appropriations for the Department of Justice (DOJ) divided by department. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriates $28.962 billion for DOJ, an amount that is 0.4% less than the FY2016 appropriation and 2.9% less than what the Obama Administration requested.
Date: May 30, 2017
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Fiscal Year 2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice Grant Programs

Description: This report outlines the 2017 fiscal year appropriations for the five Department of Justice (DOJ) grant programs which assist communities with various criminal justice related issues. Congress provided a total of $2.320 billion for DOJ's five grant accounts, an amount that is 6.7% less than the FY2016 appropriation and 1.8% less than the Administration's request. Funding for three of the five grant accounts decreased for FY2017, the exceptions being Violence Against Women Programs (+$2 million… more
Date: May 30, 2017
Creator: James, Nathan
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Six Justice Court to Decide Liability of Officials for Post 9/11 Detention

Description: This report discusses a Supreme Court case regarding whether men detained after 9/11 by federal authorities can sue the individual officials involved in their arrest and detainment that was due to be heard by a six justice court due to the death of Justice Scalia and the recusements of two other justices.
Date: March 7, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Gun Control: FY2017 Appropriations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Other Initiatives

Description: This report provides coverage of congressional action on President Barack Obama's FY2017 budget request for his gun safety initiative. This coverage includes analysis of the ATF Congressional Budget Submission, including discussion of selected data trends that could affect ATF workloads during FY2017.
Date: February 27, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Gun Control, Mental Incompetency, and Social Security Administration Final Rule

Description: This report discusses the Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution (H.J.Res. 40) passed by the House of Representative to overturn a final rule promulgated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding implementation of firearms restrictions for certain persons.
Date: February 13, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.; Szymendera, Scott D. & Morton, William R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Gun Control, Mental Incompetency, and Social Security Administration Final Rule

Description: This report discusses the Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution (H.J.Res. 40) passed by the House of Representative to overturn a final rule promulgated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding implementation of firearms restrictions for certain persons.
Date: February 13, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.; Szymendera, Scott D. & Morton, William R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Qualified Immunity for a Police Shooting

Description: This report discusses the rule of qualified immunity for police officers, which prevents officers from being sued for actions taken in the course of their job unless there was a clear decision by the officer to break the law or incompetence. It specifically discusses the case of "White v. Pauly" heard by the Supreme Court, which upheld qualified immunity for Officer White after he was accused of violating a suspect's fourth amendment rights by use of excessive force to seize the suspect who had… more
Date: February 9, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Gun Control, Mental Incompetency, and Social Security Administration Final Rule

Description: This report discusses the Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution (H.J.Res. 40) intended to overturn a final rule promulgated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding implementation of firearms restrictions for certain persons.
Date: February 2, 2017
Creator: Krouse, William J.; Szymendera, Scott D. & Morton, William R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation: The Mérida Initiative and Beyond

Description: This report begins with a brief discussion of security challenges in Mexico and Mexico's security strategy. It then provides information on congressional funding and oversight of the Mérida Initiative, with details about each of the program's four pillars. The report concludes by raising policy issues that Congress may wish to consider.
Date: January 18, 2017
Creator: Ribando Seelke, Clare & Finklea, Kristin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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SORNA: A Legal Analysis of 18 U.S.C. §2250 (Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

Description: This report describes the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) including various elements of the legislation and Constitutional considerations, with requirements and repercussions of an individual's failure to comply with SORNA.
Date: January 17, 2017
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Nosal" Parts 1 & 2: Password Sharing May Be a Federal Crime & Circuit Split on Restitution for Attorney's Fees

Description: This report discusses the case of "Nosal v. United States" and charges against Nosal for fraud, stealing trade secrets, and access without authorization charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). The charges under the CFAA are discussed in-depth along with implications for consensual password sharing being covered under the act. Restitution of attorneys fees in the case by Nosal are also discussed.
Date: December 9, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Terrorist Material Support: An Overview of 18 U.S.C. §2339A and §2339B

Description: This report discusses the two federal material support statutes that have been at the heart of the Justice Department's terrorist prosecution efforts. One provision outlaws providing material support for the commission of certain designated offenses that might be committed by terrorists (18 U.S.C. 2339A); the other outlaws providing material support to certain designated terrorist organizations (18 U.S.C. 2339B). They share a common definition of the term "material support," some aspects of whi… more
Date: December 8, 2016
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Digital Searches and Seizures: Overview of Proposed Amendments to Rule 41 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the proposed amendment to Rule 41, which would amend the federal search and seizure rules to permit the government to remotely access electronic devices although the location of the device may be unknown. First, the report provides a background on the origin of, and rationale underlying, the proposed amendment and a description of the rule as currently written. Second, it reviews the potential changes made by the proposed amendment and will survey variou… more
Date: September 8, 2016
Creator: Thompson, Richard M., II
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DOJ Brings Forfeiture Action to Seize and Return $1 Billion Embezzled Malaysian Government Assets

Description: This report discuses the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) civil forfeiture action against $1 billion worth of assets bought with money embezzled from the government of Malaysia by high-level officials in Malaysia from 2009 to 2015.
Date: August 15, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trafficking in Persons and U.S. Foreign Policy Responses in the 114th Congress

Description: This report provides an overview of recent global trends and U.S. foreign policy responses to address human trafficking. The report focuses in particular on efforts conducted by the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) and the President's Interagency Task Force (PITF) on human trafficking, as well as discussion of the 2016 TIP Report.
Date: August 5, 2016
Creator: Rosen, Liana W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Assistance for Victims of Terrorism or Mass Violence: In Brief

Description: This report focuses solely on assistance available from Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)--the primary federal assistance available to victims of terrorism or mass violence. Jurisdictions and individuals may be eligible to receive various types of victim assistance both directly from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and indirectly from DOJ through their respective state victim assistance agencies or other programs following incidents of terrorism or mass violence… more
Date: August 3, 2016
Creator: Sacco, Lisa N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Human Trafficking and Forced Labor: Trends in Import Restrictions

Description: This report discusses issues regarding a provision against forced labor in the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307), which prohibited from import into the United States "all goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in any foreign country by convict labor or/and forced labor or/and indentured labor under penal sanctions" (Section 307 of the Act).
Date: July 29, 2016
Creator: Rosen, Liana W.; Villarreal, M. A. & Feng, Ashley
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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