Passed as part of the Compromise of 1850, this federal act greatly expanded the dictates of the original Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. It required the immediate arrest of those suspected to have escaped enslavement—accusations that were often based upon little more than a claimant's sworn testimony. The monetary benefit of such cases was substantial, as the Commissioner was compensated $10 (or, about $430 in 2026) for each individual he found to have escaped and $5 (or, $215) if he determined the evidence to be insufficient. People who provided food or shelter to accused fugitives faced six months of imprisonment and a $1,000 fine, equivalent to over $43,000 in 2026. The Act was deeply unpopular, sparking various outbreaks of violent resistance and leading to a general refusal to enforce the law across the North. It would eventually be repealed in June 1864.