U.S. Conference of Mayors Calls for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Aug 1, 2008
During its 76th Annual Meeting in June 2008, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution calling for comprehensive immigration reform. Key goals of immigration reform are to promote the reunification of families, provide legal status with a path to earned citizenship, and a plan for current and future immigrant workers. The full text of the resolution is included below:
The U.S. Conference of Mayors
76th Annual Meeting
June 20-24, 2008
Miami
2008 Adopted Resolutions
CALLING FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM WHICH PROMOTES THE REUNIFICATION OF FAMILIES, PROVIDES LEGAL STATUS WITH A PATH TO EARNED CITIZENSHIP, AND A PLAN FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE IMMIGRANT WORKERS
WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes the economic, social and cultural contributions immigrants bring to their communities; and
WHEREAS, the responsibility of municipal leaders is to protect the wellbeing and safety of all the people residing in their cities; and
WHEREAS, many local governments have passed resolutions, ordinances and policy directives reaffirming non-participation in the enforcement of civil immigration law by city officials and agencies to promote immigrant trust in its police and avert racial profiling and civil rights violations; and
WHEREAS, The International Association of Chiefs of Police Guide to Immigration Issues concludes that local police leaders face a growing set of immigration related duties in the face of scarce and narrowing resources; and
WHEREAS, raids and deportations are increasing in scope and number in recent weeks and months, separating families and spreading terror in our communities; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors opposes the separation of families by the enforcement of our current immigration laws and supports the reunification of families that have been so separated, especially those “mixed status” families with U.S. citizen children of which there are an estimated four million children currently in this country; and
WHEREAS, the national political debate on immigration reform has tended to polarize our communities; and
WHEREAS, it is the duty of local governments to respect the rights of and provide equal services to all individuals regardless of national origin or immigration status,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by The U.S. Conference of Mayors acting on behalf of its constituents to call on the President of the United States to issue an executive order to cease and desist in the execution of all raids and deportations that do not relate to our national security or to criminal activity until comprehensive immigration reform is completed and to suspend immediately all deportations of parents with U.S. citizen children; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors supports comprehensive immigration reform which promotes the reunification of families, provides legal status with a path to earned citizenship to the estimated 12 million undocumented workers and designs a plan for current and future immigrant workers.