Immigration bill requires 3 forged passports before it’s a crime

I apologize for my confusion which was apparently shared by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), as he questioned FBI Director Robert Mueller last week.

"I would share with Senator Grassley deep concern," Sessions said. "That this immigration bill would say for passports -- which you [Mueller] should be aware of and need to be on top of -- only those who produce, issue or distribute three or more passports have committed a crime. Under the bill those who forge, alter, and possess three or more passports will have committed a crime, and not only those who use any official material to make 10 or more passports will have committed a crime,"

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As long as 18 USC § 1543 remains untouched, it seems that one fake password should still land you in hot water. How many passports have you forged? Most people would probably say "zero," but then most people aren't illegal immigrants. If you're one of the 12,000,000 "undocumented" who are here illegally, you may have had to use, create, or disseminate forged documents just to keep your head above water. Obviously, this kind of behavior is not your fault. It's all part of "just wanting a better life for your family." Still, it's a crime and you may worry about being prosecuted. Relax. You can breathe easy, secure in the knowledge that the "Gang of Eight" immigration bill has taken care of you. According to Section 3707 of the law, you haven't committed a crime until you've faked a minimum of 3 passports. Similarly, illegal immigrants can produce them, sell them, and use them without fear of repercussions. ...just so long as they don't do it three times. The first two are freebies! For the record, Section 3707 of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act - a entitled "Reform of Passport, Visa and Immigration Fraud Offenses" - reads as follows:

(a) Trafficking in Passports- Section 1541 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

'Sec. 1541. Trafficking in passports

• '(a) Multiple Passports- Subject to subsection (b), any person who, during any period of 3 years or less, knowingly--
  '(1) and without lawful authority produces, issues, or transfers 3 or more passports; '(2) forges, counterfeits, alters, or falsely makes 3 or more passports; '(3) secures, possesses, uses, receives, buys, sells, or distributes 3 or more passports, knowing the passports to be forged, counterfeited, altered, falsely made, stolen, procured by fraud, or produced or issued without lawful authority; or '(4) completes, mails, prepares, presents, signs, or submits 3 or more applications for a United States passport, knowing the applications to contain any materially false statement or representation,
'(a) Multiple Passports- Subject to subsection (b), any person who, during any period of 3 years or less, knowingly-- shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

The best part is that whatever penalties do exist are only triggered if you break the law three times "during any 3 year period." So, if you want to fake one passport every year-and-a-half, go for it! We don't want to lump everyone together. We're sure that, somewhere out there, someone is just dipping their toes into the world of high-stakes forgery. Perhaps they've got a machine that generates only the little blue outer folder. Well, if you're making pieces of forged documents, the law has you covered as well. As long as you don't make enough to create 10 or more fraudulent passports, you'll be fine. From page 1558:

"Any person who knowingly and without lawful authority produces, buys, sells, possesses, or uses any official material (or counterfeit of any official material) used to make 10 or more passports, including any distinctive paper, seal, hologram, image, text, symbol, stamp, engraving, or plate, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both."

So, have fun forgers. As long as you don't produce too many fakes, no one will bother you. Just think. All this time we've been laboring under the delusion that the government was concerned about terrorists getting their hands on bogus credentials. Must not be a big deal anymore...