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AAMA: Border Visa Control Could Lead to Costly Congestion

23 July 1998

Automakers Say Border Visa Control Could Lead to Costly Congestion

    WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Concerned that an automated visa
control program could result in costly congestion at key U.S. ports of entry,
America's Car Companies favor legislation (S. 1360) that would delay
implementation until it is operationally feasible.
    The new automated system, required by Section 110 of the Illegal
Immigration Reform Act of 1996, was intended to improve accounting for entries
and exits by U.S. visa holders.  The Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) program is to be implemented on September 30.  However, in a letter to
U.S. Senators, American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) President
& CEO Andrew H. Card, Jr. wrote that, "The INS has neither the technology nor
the resources to administer such a system.  Moreover, implementing Section 110
is likely to precipitate congestion at key ports of entry and act as a
significant obstacle to trade."
    "This is of particular concern on the northern border, where autos and
auto parts account for fully one-third of the nearly $1 billion in goods trade
that passes between the U.S. and Canada each day," Card informed Senators.
"Adding only 15 seconds to the processing time of each of the 15,000 vehicles
that enter the U.S. over Ambassador Bridge each day theoretically would
require an additional 60 hours per day of processing time, effectively closing
the border.  Because these goods are destined for plants throughout the U.S.,
the impact of delays at the border will be felt in every state."
    Legislation supported by automakers would require the Attorney General to
study how to create a workable entry-and-exit system, while preventing the
U.S. from wasting millions of dollars attempting to rush a system into
operation.  "S. 1360 would improve U.S. efforts to control illegal immigration
without impeding trade and is the best opportunity for averting the serious
economic disruptions that Section 110 could cause," Card stated.  "But time is
running out.  Congress needs to act before we experience border back-ups."
    AAMA is the trade association whose members are Chrysler Corporation, Ford
Motor Company and General Motors Corporation.  Visit the AAMA site on the
World Wide Web at http://www.aama.com.