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April 19,
2006
Contact:
Tatiana Guerra
202-434-8070
NHCSL Adopts Resolution on
Immigration
Washington, DC – The National Hispanic
Caucus of State Legislators adopted a Resolution
condemning the “Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism,
and Illegal Immigration Control Act”-HR 4437-
and affirming commitment to providing a safe,
healthy and dignified place to live for all
residents, regardless of immigration status. The
Resolution states:
WHEREAS, On December 16th, 2005, the U.S.
House of Representatives passed the “Border
Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal
Immigration Control Act” –HR 4437- one of the
most deplorable, anti-immigrant bills in this
country’s history; and
WHEREAS, HR 4437 proposes, among other
things, to automatically turn undocumented
immigrants living in the U.S. into aggravated
felons; to criminalize U.S. citizens and legal
residents who have routine contact with
undocumented immigrants; to require day laborer
centers and other non-profit organizations to
verify workers’ immigration status; to diminish
judicial review of immigration courts’ decisions;
to make detention of immigrants mandatory; to
give the government unfettered discretion to
designate gangs and make immigrants deportable
as members of gangs even if they have never
violated the law; and
WHEREAS, HR 4437 would devastatingly
impact immigrant communities and by creating
fear, discrimination and abuse of immigrant
communities; and
WHEREAS, States welcome and value all of
its inhabitants, undocumented, US legal
residents and U.S. citizens alike, and wishes
them to live free from fear of local, state and
federal law enforcement, and to work free from
discrimination and exploitation; and
BE IT RESOLVED, that the National
Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators condemns
the passage of HR 4437 in the U.S. House of
Representatives, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NHCSL
urges the U.S. Senate (including Senators Boxer
and Feinstein) and President Bush to reject HR
4437, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NHCSL urges
President Bush, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S.
House of Representatives to support
comprehensive immigration reform that includes
keeping families together by decreasing the
immigration backlogs and decreasing the barriers
for family reunification, and restoring and
protecting our communities’ fundamental civil
rights/ civil liberties, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NHCSL
urges other local and state governments to
condemn the passage of HR 4437 and recognize the
important role immigrants play in strengthening
our communities and country.
Adopted this 7th day of April 2006 at the
National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators’
Executive Committee & BBA meeting held in
Washington, DC.
# # #
The National Hispanic Caucus of State
Legislators (NHCSL) is a nonpartisan
organization representing the interests of
Hispanic state legislators from all states,
commonwealths, and territories of the United
States. NHCSL is a catalyst for joint action on
issues of common concern to all segments of the
Hispanic community. For more information visit
www.nhcsl.com.
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