Who has diplomatic immunity in us?

Consular employees and consular service staff who are U.S. nationals, legal permanent residents, or who are permanently resident in the United States enjoy no personal inviolability or jurisdictional immunity in the United States. (See footnote 4.)

Do family members of diplomats have diplomatic immunity?

Like those of diplomatic agents, the recognized family members of administrative and technical staff enjoy the same privileges and immunities from the host country’s criminal jurisdiction as their sponsors. Since these family members have no official duties to perform, they enjoy no immunity from civil jurisdiction.

Why does the US give diplomatic immunity to visiting diplomats?

The United States tends to be generous when granting diplomatic immunity to visiting diplomats, because a large number of US diplomats work in host countries less protective of individual rights. If the United States were to punish a visiting diplomat without sufficient grounds, US representatives in other countries could receive harsher treatment.

Can a foreign country prosecute a US diplomat?

The diplomat’s country of origin has prerogative over whether or not a host country may prosecute a diplomat under its (i.e. ‘foreign’) laws. The Diplomatic Relations Act of 1978, 22 U.S.C. § 254a et seq. governs diplomatic immunity in the United States.

Are diplomats immune from criminal charges?

For example, diplomatic agents and members of their immediate families are immune from all criminal prosecution and most civil law suits. Administrative and technical staff members of embassies have a lower level of immunity.

Should traffic offences be subject to diplomatic immunity?

However, traffic offences are – generally – objectively verifiable, and therefore less susceptible to political manipulation. And given the extent of abuse of diplomatic immunity in all traffic matters, from parking fines to causing death, it is well beyond time for the international community to amend the law accordingly.