S. 2577 — McCarran-Walter Technical Corrections Act

This section revises the eligibility criteria under Section 289 of the Immigration and Nationality Act for American Indians born in Canada to pass U.S. borders without immigration restrictions to persons who (1) are members or eligible to become members of a federally recognized Indian tribe in the United States or (2) (A) have Indian status in Canada through registration under the Indian Act or (B) hold membership in a self-governing First Nation in Canada (from possessing at least 50% blood of the American Indian race). (As background, INA §289 implements Article III of the 1794 Jay Treaty, which recognizes the right of certain indigenous persons born in Canada to travel freely across the U.S. border.)