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AMENDMENT TO SENATE RESOLUTION 578


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    AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend Senate Resolution 578, AS AMENDED, 
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by replacing everything after the heading with the following:
 
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    "WHEREAS, The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 
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2005 (S. 1033 and H.R. 2330) would require the Secretary of 
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Homeland Security to develop and implement a National Strategy 
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for Border Security, establish a H-5A essential worker visa 
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program for low-skilled workers, and exempt immediate 
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relatives of U.S. citizens from the annual cap on 
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family-sponsored immigrant visas; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives passed 
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H.R.4437 that would criminalize the undocumented, their 
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employers, and asylum-seekers alike, tear apart families, and 
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needlessly devastate our economy; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The United States of America was founded by 
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immigrants who traveled from around the world to seek a better 
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life; and
 

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

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    WHEREAS, Illinois immigrants fill key roles in our economy 
 


 






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such as paying taxes, including contributions to Social 
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Security that they cannot receive back, raising families, and 
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contributing to our schools, churches, neighborhoods, and 
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communities; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Our current immigration system contributes to 
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long backlogs, labor abuses, countless deaths on the border, 
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and vigilante violence and is in dire need of reform to meet 
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the challenges of the 21st century; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Any comprehensive reform must involve a path to 
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citizenship for these hardworking immigrants, as well as 
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reunification of families and a safe and orderly process for 
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enabling willing immigrant workers to fill essential jobs in 
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our economy and ensure full labor rights; and
 

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

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

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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois 
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Congressional Delegation and all of Congress to support "The 
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Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005" (S.1033 and 
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H.R.2330), which allows every hardworking, law-abiding 
 


 






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individual to achieve the American Dream; and be it further
 

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