By: Garza H.C.R. No. 13
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Our nation's immigration system is inefficient and
badly flawed, and a complete overhaul is urgently needed to protect
our borders and ensure our future economic prosperity; and
WHEREAS, The United States Congress last passed major
immigration legislation a quarter-century ago; the Immigration
Reform and Control Act of 1986 failed to solve the problem of
illegal immigration, and subsequent piecemeal attempts at reform
have failed to create a rational and effective system; and
WHEREAS, Current immigration channels are rigid and
cumbersome, and as a consequence, smugglers enjoy a thriving market
that puts great pressure on our borders; not only do too many people
enter the country illegally, but there is no way to track whether
the millions who enter on valid visas actually depart when those
visas expire; moreover, employers are burdened by a complicated and
inflexible system for verifying the immigration status of potential
employees, and unscrupulous employers who recruit and exploit
undocumented workers have little fear of punishment; immigration
enforcement often targets ordinary workers and their families,
diverting resources and personnel from efforts to protect against
genuine threats to national security; and
WHEREAS, Today, the U.S. economy is inextricably linked to
the global economy, and globalization has increased the importance
of labor mobility; businesses need to be able to plan for growth as
world economic conditions improve, but obsolete immigration
policies make it difficult to prepare to compete in the global
marketplace; furthermore, while the American workforce has become
older and better educated, industries such as agriculture continue
to require large numbers of workers able and willing to perform
physically demanding jobs; and
WHEREAS, Two recent studies, by the Cato Institute and the
Center for American Progress with the Immigration Policy Center,
indicate that a complete overhaul of our system of immigration
would boost the economy by $180 billion or more annually by raising
the productivity of immigrant workers and expanding activity
throughout the economy; and
WHEREAS, A true 21st-century immigration system would focus
on both the border and the workplace, establishing smart
enforcement policies and safeguards while creating legal
immigration channels that are flexible and serve our economic
interests; a complete overhaul should address the terms and
conditions of admission to and presence in this country, promote
the use of reliable and verifiable forms of worker identification,
and eliminate country of origin preferences; the violation of
immigration laws should be disincentivized, and employers and
prospective immigrants who have followed laws and procedures should
be rewarded; in addition, this overhaul must protect the rights and
equality of all United States citizens, including children; and
WHEREAS, Our national interests are poorly served by our
broken, embattled, and outdated immigration system, and patchwork
attempts to mend its deficiencies will not secure our borders or
prepare us to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex global
economy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby urge the United States Congress to swiftly enact a complete
overhaul of our system of immigration that promotes our economic
prosperity and national security; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.