run afoul of

1. Also, run foul of. Come into conflict with, as in If you keep parking illegally you'll run afoul of the police. This expression originated in the late 1600s, when it was applied to a vessel colliding or becoming entangled with another vessel, but at the same time it was transferred to non-nautical usage. Both senses remain current.

Example Sentences

His Federal Communications Commission chairman hinted at punitive actions against networks whose journalists and comedians run afoul of the president.

From Los Angeles Times

In 1935’s Humphrey’s Executor, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that this protection against removal did not run afoul of the Constitution.

From Slate

Then his adopted son, Jesus, and daughter-in-law run afoul of the feds and Easy must also figure out a way to save them from a certain prison sentence.

From Los Angeles Times

Attorneys representing the UC system argued that its policy is justified because hiring undocumented students could run afoul of a federal law that bans the hiring of people without legal status and may provoke retaliation from the federal government.

From Los Angeles Times

According to internal records reviewed by the Washington Post, NPS employees were directed to report items that might run afoul of new regulations for review by last week.

From Salon