09400SR0578 Enrolled

LRB094 18571 HSS 53909 r






1

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 578


 
2
    WHEREAS, The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 
3
2005 (S. 1033 and H.R. 2330) would require the Secretary of 
4
Homeland Security to develop and implement a National Strategy 
5
for Border Security, establish a H-5A essential worker visa 
6
program for low-skilled workers, and exempt immediate 
7
relatives of U.S. citizens from the annual cap on 
8
family-sponsored immigrant visas; and
 
9
    WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives passed 
10
H.R.4437 that would criminalize the undocumented, their 
11
employers, and asylum-seekers alike, tear apart families, and 
12
needlessly devastate our economy; and
 
13
    WHEREAS, The United States of America was founded by 
14
immigrants who traveled from around the world to seek a better 
15
life; and
 

16
    WHEREAS, The United States has an undocumented population 
17
of 11 million immigrants, including half a million in Illinois; 
18
and
 

19
    WHEREAS, Illinois immigrants fill key roles in our economy 
20
such as paying taxes, including contributions to Social 
21
Security that they cannot receive back, raising families, and 
22
contributing to our schools, churches, neighborhoods, and 
23
communities; and
 
24
    WHEREAS, Our current immigration system contributes to 
25
long backlogs, labor abuses, countless deaths on the border, 
26
and vigilante violence and is in dire need of reform to meet 
27
the challenges of the 21st century; and
 

28
    WHEREAS, Any comprehensive reform must involve a path to 
29
citizenship for these hardworking immigrants, as well as 
 


 






09400SR0578 Enrolled
- 2 -
LRB094 18571 HSS 53909 r




1
reunification of families and a safe and orderly process for 
2
enabling willing immigrant workers to fill essential jobs in 
3
our economy and ensure full labor rights; and
 

4
    WHEREAS, The immigration initiative severely punishes 
5
illegal employment practices while creating a path to earned 
6
permanent legal status for individuals who have been working in 
7
the United States, paying taxes, obeying the law, and learning 
8
English, and protecting workers by ensuring the right to change 
9
jobs, join a union, and report abusive employment situations; 
10
and
 

11
    WHEREAS, Modernizing our antiquated and dysfunctional 
12
immigration system will uphold our nation's basic values of 
13
fairness, equal opportunity, and respect for the law; 
14
therefore, be it
 

15
    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
16
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois 
17
Congressional Delegation and all of Congress to support "The 
18
Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005" (S.1033 and 
19
H.R.2330), which allows every hardworking, law-abiding 
20
individual to achieve the American Dream; and be it further
 

21
    RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be delivered to 
22
the President of the United States, the President of the 
23
Senate, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the 
24
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority and 
25
Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives, and each 
26
member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.