HR0849

LRB094 19081 RAS 54589 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The United States was founded by immigrants who 
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traveled from around the world seeking a better life; and

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

 
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    WHEREAS, Immigrants in Illinois fill key roles in the 
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State's economy by paying taxes, including contributions to 
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Social Security that they cannot receive back, raising 
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families, and contributing to Illinois schools, churches, 
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neighborhoods, and communities; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The 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, Comprehensive immigration reform must involve a 
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path to citizenship for these hard-working immigrants, as well 
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as 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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the economy and to ensure full labor rights; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 
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2005 severely punishes illegal employment practices while 
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creating a path to earned permanent legal status for 
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individuals who have been working in the United States, paying 
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taxes, obeying the law, and learning English and protects 
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workers by ensuring the right to change jobs, join a union, and 
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report abusive employment situations; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Modernizing the antiquated and dysfunctional 
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immigration system will uphold our nation's basic values of 
 


 






HR0849
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LRB094 19081 RAS 54589 r




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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  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we support comprehensive immigration reform and urge the 
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passage by the United States Congress of the Secure America and 
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Orderly Immigration Act of 2005, which allows every 
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hard-working, law-abiding individual to achieve the American 
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dream; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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forwarded to the President of the United States, the Speaker of 
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the United States House of Representatives, the President pro 
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tempore of the United States Senate, and to each member of the 
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Illinois Congressional delegation.