BILL NUMBER: AJR 51	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 26, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly  Member   Nunez
  Members   Nunez,   Bass,  
Jones,   and Yee 

                        APRIL 24, 2006

   Relative to immigration reform.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 51, as amended, Nunez  Immigration reform.
   This measure would memorialize the President and Congress of the
United States to reject all immigration reform efforts that seek to
criminalize an individual because of his or her immigration status,
 to  view immigration policy as only a border
security issue, or  that  fail to recognize our
common humanity and the values of our nation. The measure would
memorialize the President and Congress to take a comprehensive,
bipartisan, and well reasoned approach to immigration issues.
   Fiscal committee: no.




   WHEREAS, Immigrants are a vibrant, productive, and vital part of
California's growing economy, diverse cultural fabric, and changing
demographics; and
   WHEREAS, Immigrants and their children comprise nearly one-half of
California's population and live and work in all 58 counties, most
notably in the San Diego, Central Valley, Los Angeles, and greater
San Francisco Bay regions of the state; and
   WHEREAS, Immigrants fuel California's economy through their labor
and entrepreneurship, comprising approximately one-third of
California's labor force and figuring prominently in key economic
sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and
services; and
   WHEREAS, A national debate is raging across the United States
focused on how to fix our broken immigration system and this debate
is tearing at the very core of our founding values; and
   WHEREAS, This national discussion demands an intelligent,
comprehensive, and balanced approach to immigration reform --one that
recognizes that Americans want neither open borders, nor closed
borders, but that they want the President and Congress of the United
States to work together to enact legislation that rewards work,
reunites families, restores the rule of law, reinforces our nation's
security, respects the rights of United States born and immigrant
workers, and redeems the "American Dream"; and
   WHEREAS, Unfortunately, in December 2005, the House of
Representatives passed the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and
Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437) that seeks to
criminalize an individual for his or her immigration status; make any
relative, coworker, parishioner, or friend who provides assistance
to an undocumented worker a criminal; deny due process to
undocumented immigrants; supersede United States Supreme Court
decisions; and infringe on an individual's civil rights. H.R. 4437 is
not in our nation's best interest and can only be characterized as
mean-spirited, short-sighted, and anti-immigrant; and
   WHEREAS, The United States Senate has taken preliminary actions to
pass an immigration reform measure that does not advocate an
 enforcement only   enforcement-only 
approach; however, this measure still lacks key pertinent provisions.
We applaud the efforts of California's Senators and others who
support and are working towards a comprehensive reform measure that
is compassionate to the immigrant, protects our nation's economy, and
safeguards our national security while upholding the dignity of the
United States Constitution. We strongly encourage those dissenting
Senators to listen to their constituents and the millions of voices
throughout the United States and reexamine their position on this
extremely important issue; and
   WHEREAS, A bipartisan, comprehensive workable immigration reform
package must be based on respect for human rights; a path towards
permanent residency and citizenship; enforcement of border policies,
protecting the wages and working conditions of all workers, whether
U.S. born or immigrant workers; reunification of families; and the
promotion of citizenship and civic participation; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California
respectfully memorializes the President and Congress of the United
States to reject all immigration reform efforts that seek to
criminalize an individual because of his or her immigration status,
 to  view immigration policy as only a border
security issue, or  that  fail to recognize our
common humanity and the values of our nation; and be it further
   Resolved, That the President and the Congress of the United States
must take a comprehensive, bipartisan, and  well reasoned
  well-reasoned  approach to solving our nation's
broken immigration system, using the principles set forth above; and
be it further
   Resolved, That we need to stand up to the extremists' voices who
wish to enact policies that will not solve our immigration crisis,
but will only serve to divide us; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative
from California in the Congress of the United States.