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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois and the United States of 
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America were founded by immigrants who traveled from around the 
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world to seek a better life; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Immigrants have made enormous contributions to 
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our nation's economic, cultural, and political life, and these 
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contributions have been recognized and honored throughout our 
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history and across the political spectrum; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Our nation's immigration system should uphold our 
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basic values of family, economic opportunity, and fairness; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The U.S. immigration system is in disarray and in 
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need of comprehensive reform: immigrants who are eager to 
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rejoin family members or willing to work in the U.S. are unable 
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to immigrate under the current system or face long backlogs; 
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and
 

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    WHEREAS, The mismatch between our nation's immigration 
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laws and our economic needs and family values has led to deaths 
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on the border, a large underground market in false documents, 
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and an undocumented population of eleven million immigrants, 
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including half a million in Illinois, and widespread disregard 
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for our immigration laws; and
 

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    WHEREAS, President Bush and leaders of both political 
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parties in both chambers of Congress recognize the need for 
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realistic, common-sense, humane solutions for our immigration 
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problems; and
 

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    WHEREAS, U.S. Senators John McCain, Republican of Arizona, 
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and Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, and U.S. 
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Representatives Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake, Republicans from 
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Arizona, and Luis Gutierrez, Democrat from Illinois, have 
 


 






HJ0058
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proposed legislation offering such solutions; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Their proposed legislation includes cutting 
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through our current immigration backlogs to reunite families 
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sooner; a guestworker program, similar to that proposed by 
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President Bush, that would provide a safe and orderly way for 
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willing immigrant workers to fill essential jobs in our 
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economy; realistic enforcement strategies to ensure the 
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security of our nation's borders; and a means for hardworking 
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immigrants to earn legal status, upon paying a penalty for 
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their time in the U.S. out of status, and to eventually become 
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U.S. citizens; and
 

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    WHEREAS, By restoring order to our immigration system, such 
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reforms will make our nation more secure as well as meet our 
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labor needs and uphold our basic values as a nation; and
 

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    WHEREAS, In a recent bipartisan poll, 77% of respondents 
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supported such comprehensive reform to our immigration system; 
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and
 

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    WHEREAS, Comprehensive immigration reform is supported by 
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business, organized labor, faith communities, and other 
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leaders and sectors in our country; 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, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we do hereby wholeheartedly 
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support comprehensive immigration reform and the 
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McCain-Kennedy legislation, and we urge the United States 
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Congress to enact this legislation; and be it further
 

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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the President pro-tem of the U.S. Senate, the 
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Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and to each 
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member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.