William F. Smith: “today I introduced H.R. 4658, which briefly extends the deadline for implementing Section 110(a) of the Illegal…”

“today I introduced H.R. 4658, which briefly extends the deadline for implementing Section 110(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Section 110(a) of the 1996 Act required that the Attorney General establish an automated entry-exit control system for all aliens at all ports of entry--land, air and sea--``no later than two years after the date of enactment'' of the 1996 Act. Since the 1996 Act was enacted on September 30, 1996, the two year deadline for implementation is now. The Immigration and Naturalization Service has indicated that it needs more time to implement a control system at the land and sea ports. As a result, the House of Representatives passed the Solomon bill, H.R. 2920, by a vote of 325 to 90 on November 10, 1997. This bill extends the deadline for implementing Section 110 on land borders to October 1, 1999, and requires that the system ``not significantly disrupt trade, tourism, or other legitimate cross-border traffic at land border points of entry.'' The Senate passed a different version of H.R. 2920.”