BILL NUMBER: AJR 37CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 62 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JULY 7, 2010 ADOPTED IN SENATE JUNE 28, 2010 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 1, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 15, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 29, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 5, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member De Leon (Coauthors: Assembly Members Jones, Mendoza, Monning, Ammiano, Arambula, Beall, Blumenfield, Bradford, Brownley, Charles Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Hall, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huffman, Lieu, Ma, Nava, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, and Yamada) FEBRUARY 19, 2010 Relative to immigration. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AJR 37, De Leon. Immigration. This measure would specify principles for repairing the nation's broken immigration system and would urge Congress and the President of the United States to take a comprehensive and workable approach to improving the nation's immigration system using those principles. WHEREAS, The United States of America was founded by immigrants who came from around the world seeking a better life; and WHEREAS, The current immigration system is broken. It separates families, reduces the effectiveness of national security programs, contributes to labor abuses, and creates long backlogs for families seeking naturalization. Further, it neglects the hard work and financial contributions immigrants make to our country; and WHEREAS, It is estimated that about 11 million undocumented immigrants are in the United States; and WHEREAS, California has one of the biggest populations of immigrants, both legal and undocumented; and WHEREAS, Immigrants and their children constitute nearly one-half of California's population and contribute to local economies. In the San Francisco Bay area, immigrants contribute 22 percent of the region's economic activity. In Santa Clara County, immigrants contribute 44 percent of the region's economic activity. In Fresno, immigrants contribute 27 percent of the region's economic activity. In Orange County, immigrants contribute 33 percent of the region's economic activity. In the Inland Empire, immigrants contribute 28 percent of the region's economic activity. In San Diego, immigrants contribute 25 percent of the region's economic activity; and WHEREAS, Approximately 77 percent of undocumented immigrants that reside in California live with family members that are legal United States residents and citizens; and WHEREAS, One in eleven workers in California is an undocumented immigrant, and immigrants are a vibrant, productive, and vital part of the state's growing economy, diverse cultural fabric, and changing demographics. Immigrant worker populations in California are concentrated in a variety of sectors, including leisure and hospitality, construction, food and agriculture, service, transportation, and textile sectors. Many immigrants throughout the state have even started their own small businesses; and WHEREAS, The integration of immigrants and the development of a comprehensive approach to solve our broken immigration system are critical to ensure that our state continues to have a strong economy; and WHEREAS, Fixing our broken immigration system would have a positive impact on the economy because moving workers out of a vulnerable underground status produces both short- and long-term economic gains. Doing so will strengthen the ability of working families to become more productive, with higher levels of income and job-generating consumption, and will increase their net contributions to tax revenues; and WHEREAS, Fixing our broken immigration system would have a positive impact on the economy in the short and long term. Recent data released by the University of California, Los Angeles, indicates that legalizing the status of undocumented immigrants working and living in the United States would create roughly $1.5 trillion in additional GDP growth over 10 years and increase wages for all workers; and WHEREAS, A study released by the University of Southern California estimates that the immediate and long-term effects of enacting comprehensive immigration reform would result in a $16 billion boost to California's economy; and WHEREAS, Modernizing our antiquated and dysfunctional immigration system will uphold our nation's basic values of fairness, equal opportunity, and respect for the law; and WHEREAS, A comprehensive approach to solve our broken immigration system, one that works for all communities and families in America, should include the following elements: (1) a plan for providing legal status with a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who are working and living in the United States, which should include the AgJOBS Act of 2009 and DREAM Act of 2009, (2) improvement of the economic situation of all workers in the United States, (3) the reform of visa programs in order to keep families together, protect workers' rights, and ensure that future immigration is regulated and controlled rather than illegal and chaotic, (4) the implementation of smart, effective enforcement measures targeted at the worst violators of immigration and labor laws, (5) prioritizing immigrant integration into our communities and country, and (6) respect for the due process rights of everyone in the United States; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the President and the Congress of the United States to take a comprehensive and workable approach to solving our nation's broken immigration system, using the principles described in this resolution; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and the Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.