HJ0119 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law SB 1070, legislation that purports to crack down on undocumented immigrants present in Arizona; and

WHEREAS, Among its many provisions, SB 1070 requires that law enforcement officers in Arizona request documentation from anyone they encounter if they have "reasonable suspicion" that such person is present in the United States unlawfully; and

WHEREAS, SB 1070 also makes it a state crime to fail to carry valid immigration documents; and

WHEREAS, Immigration law and policy and the enforcement of our nation's immigration laws are federal responsibilities, but SB 1070 would convert federal civil immigration infractions into state criminal offenses; and

WHEREAS, SB 1070, in effect, authorizes police officers in Arizona to harass minorities and engage in racial and ethnic profiling, associating an individual's skin color and appearance with "reasonable suspicion" of undocumented status; and

WHEREAS, SB 1070 has been criticized by police and other law enforcement officials inside and outside of Arizona, who are concerned that this new law will drain local law enforcement resources and undermine trust between police and immigrant, Latino, and other minority community members, who may not report crimes or cooperate with law enforcement if they fear for their own safety when encountering police; and

WHEREAS, Elected officials from both parties have expressed deep concerns about SB 1070, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and former Florida House Speaker and US Senate candidate Marco Rubio; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has long welcomed immigrants and recognized the contributions of these newcomers; and

WHEREAS, Our state has long resisted and rejected attempts to polarize against immigrants and, in particular, undocumented immigrants; and

WHEREAS, As it had two decades ago, when it refused to observe the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the State of Arizona has again chosen a counterproductive path that offends our nation's conscience; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we condemn, in the strongest terms, the enactment of Arizona's SB 1070, legislation that will foster racial profiling, drive a wedge between police and communities of color, and diminish the effectiveness of law enforcement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call upon the Arizona legislature to repeal SB 1070; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call upon President Obama and the United States Congress to act quickly to enact comprehensive reforms that will bring workable, practical, and humane solutions to fix our broken immigration system; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we reject the use of hateful rhetoric that scapegoats immigrants for our national and state difficulties and declare that such rhetoric has no place in federal, state, or local immigration policy debates; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to President Barack Obama, the members of the Illinois congressional delegation, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, and the Speaker and Senate President of the Arizona Legislature.