SR0582 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0582 LRB100 13041 MST 27410 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The United States was built upon the premise and promise of religious tolerance, a principle enshrined in the First Amendment guarantee of free exercise of religion; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has historically welcomed newcomers from all nations and of all faith traditions, and has historically benefited from the diversity these newcomers bring; and

WHEREAS, The most recent federal election campaign featured rhetoric and discussion of policy proposals hostile to certain nationality and religious groups, including specifically a possible registry of Muslim Americans; and

WHEREAS, Reported attacks on Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Americans and other incidents of discrimination, including in housing, education, and employment, have increased sharply during the past two years and in particular since the 2016 elections; and

WHEREAS, Muslim youths in particular face barriers to safely expressing their religion in school, with young Muslim women being bullied for wearing the hijab or niqab; and

WHEREAS, Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Americans have endured discriminatory policies such as the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), which targeted men from 24 predominantly Muslim countries in the immediate aftermath of the 9-11 attacks; and

WHEREAS, The current federal administration has issued two executive orders attempting to impose restrictions on individuals from seven (later six) Muslim majority countries seeking to enter the United States, restrictions that federal courts have enjoined in part due to their discriminatory intent; and

WHEREAS, Initiatives such as NSEERS, the travel restrictions, and a potential Muslim registry recall past discriminatory initiatives such as the internment of 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent during World War II, for which our nation has formally apologized; and

WHEREAS, Our State should continue to welcome all nationality and religious groups and should stand in opposition to any attempts to discriminate against Arab, South Asian, and Muslim Americans or any other group based on national origin or religion; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that it is the sense of this body that no State or local government agency or official should expend any time, facilities, equipment, information, or other resources of the agency or official to facilitate the creation, publication, or maintenance of or any participation in any federal program with the purpose of registering or maintaining a database of individuals present in the United States based on their race, color, ancestry, national origin, or religion; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President and Vice-President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.