Bill Text: NJ AR142 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to pass legislation creating comprehensive pathway to United States citizenship.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-03-22 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR142 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AR142-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman JOSEPH CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
Assemblywoman MARLENE CARIDE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman ANGELICA M. JIMENEZ
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Fuentes and Ramos
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to pass legislation creating comprehensive pathway to United States citizenship.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to pass legislation to establish a path to citizenship.
Whereas, America has a long and rich heritage of immigration but our current immigration system is broken as immigrants are faced with an insufficient numbers of visas for workers to support the U.S. labor force, arbitrary visa caps creating backlogs and separating families, exploitation by employers through wage and workplace violations, and inadequate government infrastructure to support the immigrant population; and
Whereas, Comprehensive immigration reform must provide law-abiding, tax paying immigrant workers and their families with an opportunity to obtain legal permanent residency and eventually United States citizenship through fair and reasonable requirements; and
Whereas, The reduction of immigration backlogs should be included as a part of comprehensive immigration reform so that United States citizens may be reunited with family members requesting to immigrate; and
Whereas, Temporary worker program policies which provide workers with full labor and civil rights protections and the opportunity to pursue legal permanent residency in the United States should be included in comprehensive immigration reform; and
Whereas, A meaningful opportunity for immigrant students to pursue a college education after high school graduation should be included in comprehensive immigration reform; and
Whereas, United States immigration policies must actively promote the civic integration of newcomers to decrease the barriers when they attempt to acquire the skills needed to participate in our nation's civic life such as English instruction and civics proficiency courses; and
Whereas, Comprehensive immigration reform must include a discussion of the fundamental cause of migration to the United States, such as the need for sustainable social and economic development in the communities where migrants originate, and our nation must more actively pursue partnership opportunities with sending nations to determine feasible development strategies that would enable them to better meet the economic needs of their population; and
Whereas, The federal government must take action to reform our immigration laws to continue our heritage of immigration by incorporating President Obama's Executive Order into law which grants work permits and permission to stay in America for anyone brought to this country before they were 16 years of age and by establishing a path to citizenship for all immigrants who have not committed criminal offenses and protects the unity and sanctity of the family; and
Whereas, The federal government has the exclusive authority to develop, implement, and enforce immigration policy under the United States Constitution, and the regulation of immigration is solely the responsibility of the federal government; and
Whereas, Comprehensive immigration reform must strengthen our national security and the public safety of our communities and neighborhoods as the United States has the right of every sovereign nation to secure its borders through laws that regulate the entry of persons from other countries; and
Whereas, The United States must provide resources for immigration enforcement and implement enforcement measures that will accomplish these goals in an effective and humane manner; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House calls upon the United States Congress to promptly pass legislation to create a comprehensive pathway to United States citizenship.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Resolution strongly urges the Congress of the United States to pass legislation creating a pathway to citizenship.
United States immigration laws have not been updated in 20 years and there are few avenues available for legal immigration. Congress has discussed immigration reform, yet little progress has been made. Much of the concern surrounds the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently residing in the United States.
Several immigration reform plans have been introduced over the years, but Congress needs to introduce comprehensive immigration reform to address all ages of the illegal immigrant population.
Our nation's immigration system must effectively and fairly regulate how immigrants are allowed to enter, work, and live in the United States. Comprehensive immigration reform policies must accomplish and balance several goals that are in the best interest of the nation, restoring public confidence in a system of laws that promote national security and public safety.
