SR1913 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1913 LRB099 21955 GRL 48970 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There are a significant number of non-citizen veterans of foreign wars, including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War, who have been removed from the United States; and

WHEREAS, When these veterans returned to civilian life without appropriate support in reintegration, both psychologically and economically, they fell into addictions and criminal activities, were arrested and, due to their non-citizen resident status, were deported; and

WHEREAS, Many of these veterans live in terrible and abject conditions after having served in the Armed Forces of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Several of these veterans have asked for support in obtaining reentry into the United States to be with their families and United States citizen children; and

WHEREAS, Non-citizens compose a significant portion of the Armed Forces, enlisting more than 8,000 persons annually; and

WHEREAS, According to the Department of Defense, more than 65,000 non-citizen immigrants were serving in the United States Armed Forces as of 2008, accounting for at least 5% of the total active-duty personnel; and

WHEREAS, The Immigration Reform Act of 1996 broadened the criteria for removable offenses to include shoplifting, misdemeanor drug offenses, and other minor offenses, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to quietly deport veterans who have fallen on hard times; and

WHEREAS, According to Banished Veterans, a support group for deported veterans, there are currently 3,000 veterans in immigration detention centers or in removal proceedings at any given time; and

WHEREAS, Veterans that have been deported do not have access to Veterans Affairs benefits or other benefits designed for veterans; and

WHEREAS, The nation owes these veterans adequate support and rehabilitation equal to that of veterans with full citizenship; and

WHEREAS, After having served time for their crimes in the criminal justice system, non-citizen veterans are almost immediately dropped at the doorsteps of their country of birth with no resources, no contacts and, at times, no knowledge of the language, resulting in compounded punishment; and

WHEREAS, These valiant veterans are solely allowed reentry into the United States posthumously for their burial in a United States military cemetery; and

WHEREAS, Members of the United States Congress are calling for an end to the deportation of non-citizen military veterans and United States Representative Ruben Gallego has introduced H.R. 5012, the Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act; and

WHEREAS, The Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act urges the Department of Homeland Security to readmit veterans who have been deported and have not committed a serious crime, therefore reuniting deported veterans with their families; and

WHEREAS, The Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act prevents the deportation of veterans who have served in the military at least six months and have not committed a felony or significant misdemeanor; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes the importance and need for equitable treatment of veterans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act and urge the members of the United States Congress to pass H.R. 5012; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional delegation.