Legal Definitions - harboring

Harboring refers to the act of knowingly providing shelter, lodging, or any form of refuge to a person, especially when doing so helps that person avoid legal authorities, detection, or capture. This legal term most commonly applies when the individual being assisted is a fugitive from justice, a known criminal, or someone unlawfully present in a country. The key element is the intent to assist someone in evading the law or its processes.

• Example 1: Hiding a Fugitive

  Imagine a scenario where a person allows their friend, who is actively wanted by the police for a serious felony and has an arrest warrant out, to stay in their secluded cabin for several weeks. During this time, the cabin owner provides food, helps the friend avoid contact with the outside world, and misleads any inquiries from law enforcement about their friend's whereabouts.

  This illustrates harboring because the cabin owner is knowingly providing shelter and refuge to a criminal fugitive with the clear intent to help them evade capture by legal authorities.

• Example 2: Providing Shelter to an Undocumented Individual

  Consider a small business owner who provides a hidden apartment above their restaurant for an employee. The owner is fully aware that this employee entered the country without authorization and is unlawfully present. The owner's primary motivation for providing this housing is to prevent immigration authorities from discovering and deporting the employee, ensuring they can continue working.

  This demonstrates harboring because the business owner is knowingly providing lodging and refuge to an individual unlawfully present in the country, specifically to help them avoid detection and legal action by immigration authorities.