The Simpson-Rodino Bill, or Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was inaugurated on 5 May 1987, according to the attached article from the 4 May 1987 edition of Time magazine. Also according to the article, the amnesty applied to all illegal aliens who could prove that they had been permanent residents in the United States since before 1 January 1982. A spokesperson with the American Immigration and Naturalization Service at the American Embassy in Ottawa confirmed this information in a telephone conversation with an IRBDC Research Officer on 14 September 1989. The spokesperson adds that the Act was signed on 6 November 1986, to take effect on 1 May 1987. There was an amnesty period of 18 months provided for in the legislation. Included in the amnesty were all those people illegally resident in the United States since before 1 January 1982 or under proceedings by the INS for having been illegal aliens before that date.