On June 15, President Clinton signed into law H.R. 4489, the INS Data Management Improvement Act (Public Law No. 106-215). Passage of this law represents the first positive reform of IIRAIRA since its enactment in 1996 and the first major defeat on this issue for Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX).

This law effectively replaces Section 110 of IIRAIRA, which would have required the INS to create and implement new automated entry and exit controls at all ports of entry. The new law instead mandates that the INS create a centralized database to organize and coordinate entry and exit data currently collected at ports of entry. The bill also creates a new public-private task force that will review the system and current border practices and provide recommendations for improvements. To view the full text of the new law, click here. (120 kb PDF file)