§ 1442 Federal officers or agencies sued or prosecuted

§ 1442. Federal officers or agencies sued or prosecuted

    (a) A civil action or criminal prosecution commenced in a State court against any of the following may be removed by them to the district court of the United States for the district and division embracing the place wherein it is pending:

        (1) The United States or any agency thereof or any officer (or any person acting under that officer) of the United States or of any agency thereof, sued in an official or individual capacity for any act under color of such office or on account of any right, title or authority claimed under any Act of Congress for the apprehension or punishment of criminals or the collection of the revenue.

        (2) A property holder whose title is derived from any such officer, where such action or prosecution affects the validity of any law of the United States.

        (3) Any officer of the courts of the United States, for any act under color of office or in the performance of his duties;

        (4) Any officer of either House of Congress, for any act in the discharge of his official duty under an order of such House.

    (b) A personal action commenced in any State court by an alien against any citizen of a State who is, or at the time the alleged action accrued was, a civil officer of the United States and is a nonresident of such State, wherein jurisdiction is obtained by the State court by personal service of process, may be removed by the defendant to the district court of the United States for the district and division in which the defendant was served with process.