MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Smith

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS TO THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION REFORM AND IMMIGRANT RESPONSIBILITY ACT TO EXEMPT CANADIAN CITIZENS FROM THE ENTRY-EXIT ALIEN CONTROL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That:

WHEREAS, The United States and Canada share the longest undefended border in the world; and

WHEREAS, The United States and Canada have the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world, exceeding $1 billion every day; and

WHEREAS, the rate of cross border traffic is steadily increasing, so that in 1996 Canadian citizens entered the United States 76 million times and American citizens entered Canada more than 55 million times; and

WHEREAS, Section 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires the U. S. Attorney General to develop an automated entry-exit control system to register "all aliens" entering and departing the United States; and

WHEREAS, Section 110 of the Act uses the word "alien" without any qualification and could be interpreted as including millions of Canadian citizens who enter the United States every year and have traditionally enjoyed the privilege of summary inspection; and

WHEREAS, it does not appear that the intent of Congress was to include Canadians in this category; and

WHEREAS, inclusion of Canadian citizens would overturn longstanding reciprocal agreements and practices; and

WHEREAS, this control system will go into effect on September 30, 1998, and will place an unmanageable requirement on border crossing services, imposing serious delays at the

Canada-U. S. border.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, THAT we do hereby memorialize the United States Congress and the President of the United States to enact technical amendments to the Section 110 requirements of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, relating to the entry-exit alien control system, to exempt Canadian citizens from this category.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT copies of this Resolution be forwarded to members of Mississippi's Congressional delegation and the President of the United States, and that copies be made available to members of the Capitol Press Corps.