No, you will not be arrested. It is not a criminal act to be in debt, even in default, on money in the USA. You might be hounded by creditors and some of your amounts in US banks might be seized, but you yourself will not be touched by immigration or state police. Best of luck in your matter.
Don't borrow more than you can repay
The first rule of smart borrowing is to refrain from exceeding your financial capacity. Choose a loan that you can comfortably repay.
Hence, incurring a debt is not a sin. While being in debt is not a sin, Romans 13:8 tells the Christian to avoid being in debt. Sinners borrow from others and never return what they borrowed (Psalm 37:21).
Borrowing money seems like a fact of life in our culture, unavoidable. The Bible does not prohibit borrowing. However, it has strong words of caution. “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).
Exodus 22:14 - If anything is borrowed, it should be paid back. If what is borrowed is lost or injured, full restitution must be made. Ps 37:21 - The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. The Bible is clear that when something is borrowed is should be paid back.
An intrafamily loan needs to have a formal structure or else the IRS will consider it a gift. This may be a significant issue if you've already used your lifetime gift exemption and, if so, may trigger an immediate tax.
The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) protects you against inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices. It requires lenders to provide you with loan cost information so that you can comparison shop for certain types of loans.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 2: [The Congress shall have Power . . . ] To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; . . . Knox v. Lee (Legal Tender Cases), 79 U.S. (12 Wall.)
Although many cash transactions are legitimate, the government can often trace illegal activities through payments reported on complete, accurate Forms 8300, Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business PDF.
Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, ...
Carrying Cash is NOT a Crime. It's legal to travel domestically with any amount of cash. It's legal to travel in and out of the U.S. with more than $10k if you declare it. But that doesn't stop law enforcement from searching travelers' property and seizing any cash they find without warrants or evidence of a crime.
Yes, you can sue someone who owes you money. When someone keeps "forgetting" to pay you or flat out refuses to pay up, the situation can quickly become frustrating. You can take the issue to small claims court and pursue legal action if it falls between the minimum and maximum money thresholds under court rules.
It is legal to lend money, and when you do, the debt becomes the borrower's legal obligation to repay. For smaller loans, you can take legal action against your borrower if they do not pay by taking them to small claims court.
Many states today also have crimes against unauthorized property use. These crimes prohibit using or operating property that belongs to another person without the person's consent. The level of intent may be less than permanently depriving the owner of the property.
In this way, USC 15 Section 1662(b) protects consumers from predatory lenders who use advertising to get people in debt. If you see an advertisement that promises credit in exchange for a down payment or that guarantees a certain amount of money after the application, it may run afoul of the Truth in Lending Act.
Criminal penalties – Willful and knowing violations of TILA permit imposition of a fine of $5,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both.
Usury is interest that a lender charges a borrower at a rate above the lawful ceiling on such charges; a contract upon the loan of money with an illegally high interest rate as a condition of the loan . Usury is also the act of making a loan at such an interest rate; making a loan at a usurious rate.
If a lender does not have a consumer credit license, it is illegal for them to make a loan. It is not illegal to borrow the money, however. Unlicensed lenders are known as loan sharks. Loan sharks have no legal right to claim the money that you borrowed from them, therefore, you do not have to pay the money back.
The $100,000 Loophole.
With a larger below-market loan, the $100,000 loophole can save you from unwanted tax results. To qualify for this loophole, all outstanding loans between you and the borrower must aggregate to $100,000 or less.
A personal loan doesn't generally qualify as taxable income because it's a form of debt that must be repaid. Even though you receive all the funds at once, it's not considered income if you pay it back as agreed. That's true even if you use the proceeds for personal needs, such as paying for an emergency expense.
This is outlined in the Jewish scriptures, specifically in the Torah: If thou lend money to any of My people, even to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. Take thou no interest of him or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
“You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.” What does the Bible say about tattoos? That's it—that one line in Leviticus 19:28 of the Old Testament. But context is key—and this scripture may not apply to us in the way it looks.
The Bible never says that going into debt is a sin. However, it issues a very stark warning: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender”.