SR1852 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1852 LRB099 21788 MST 48516 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It has come to the attention of the Illinois Senate that there are a significant number of veterans of foreign wars, including World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans, who were legal permanent residents of 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 legal permanent resident status, were deported; and

WHEREAS, Many of these veterans live in Mexico in terrible and abject conditions after having served honorably 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, Our nation owes these veterans adequate support and rehabilitation equal to that owed veterans with full citizenship; and

WHEREAS, These deported veterans represent the tragic results of a population under siege by the policies of mass deportation and mass incarceration and should be supported in resistance to those policies; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the members of the United States Congress and the President of the United States to return those veterans to their families, children, and communities in the United States; and be it further

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