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A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LANCASTER urging the rejection of all immigration reform efforts that: criminalize individuals because of their immigration status; view immigration policy as a border-only security issue; and fail to recognize our common humanity and the values of our nation.
WHEREAS, City Council calls on the President and Congress to "take a comprehensive, bipartisan, and well-reasoned approach to solving our broken immigration system; and
WHEREAS, City Council calls on Congress and the President "to stand up against extremists' voices who wish to enact reform that does not solve our immigration crisis but only serves to divide us; and
WHEREAS, City Council is compelled to raise our voice on behalf of those who are marginalized and whose God-given rights are not respected.
Current immigration laws and policies have often led to the undermining of immigrants' human dignity and have kept families apart; and
WHEREAS, City Council does not condone unlawful entry or circumventions of our nation's immigration laws. Reforms are necessary in order for our nation's immigration system to respond to the realities of separated families and labor demands that compel people to immigrate to the United States , whether in an authorized or unauthorized fashion.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Lancaster supports an earned legalization for those in this country in an unauthorized status and who have built up equities and are otherwise admissible. The earned legalization proposal provides a window of opportunity for undocumented immigrants who are already living in our communities and contributing to our nation to come forward, pay a fine and application fee, go through rigorous criminal background checks and security screenings, demonstrate that they have paid taxes and are learning English, and obtain a visa that could lead to permanent residency, over time. |
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