Resolution opposing Texas Anti- Immigration Law

                                                                                                          RESOLUTION NO. _______

A RESOLUTION OF _________________ (ORGANIZATION NAME) CONDEMNING THE NUMEROUS ANTI-HISPANIC, ANTI-IMMIGRANT BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE 2011 TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION

WHEREAS, the Rio Grande Valley, located on the border between the United States and Mexico, has long maintained shared heritage, tradition, and friendship as well as close economic and familial ties with Mexico; and

WHEREAS, __________ (Organization Name) opposes any law which brings the potential or likelihood of violating the civil and human rights of individuals by expanding racial profiling and which brings the increased probability of separating families by increasing arrests, deportation, and detention of individuals; and

WHEREAS, considering our state’s current fiscal and budgetary crisis we believe that these types of bills will have a negative impact on our state business relationship with our partners to the South; and

WHEREAS, this type of legislation has already shown a very negative financial and business impact in Arizona, causing $141 million in lost lodging revenue; and,

WHEREAS, ___________ (Organization Name) believes any such law to be out of step with the rules of basic civility, humanity and the human rights of all individuals; and

WHEREAS, ___________ (Organization Name) supports the just treatment with dignity of all those who enter the United States; and

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT ___________ (Organization Name) is opposed to the numerous anti-Hispanic, anti-immigrant bills that have recently been introduced in the Texas Legislature.

PASSED AND APPROVED on this ___ day of _______ 2010.

                                                                                    ______________________

                                                                                    (Organization Name)

                                                                                    ______________________________

                                                                                    (Organization Director)

ATTEST:

______________________________________

(Organization Secretary)

Sample Parish Resolution to State Opposition to Anti-Immigrant Legislation

A RESOLUTION OF                                                                                CATHOLIC CHURCH CONDEMNING THE NUMEROUS ANTI-HISPANIC, ANTI-IMMIGRANT BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE 2011 TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION
WHEREAS, On January 23, 1999, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope John Paul II presented his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America, and the bishops of Mexico and the United States, seeking to awaken faith communities to the mysterious presence of the crucified and risen Lord in the person of the migrant and to renew in them the values of the Kingdom of God that he proclaimed,
WHEREAS , the Rio Grande Valley, located on the border between the United States and Mexico, has long maintained shared heritage, tradition, and friendship as well as close economic and familial ties with Mexico; and
 WHEREAS,                                                                             Catholic Church opposes any law which brings the potential or likelihood of violating the civil and human rights of individuals by expanding racial profiling and which brings the increased probability of separating families by increasing arrests, deportation, and detention of individuals; and
 WHEREAS, considering our state’s current fiscal and budgetary crisis we believe that these types of bills will have a negative impact on our state business relationship with our partners to the South; carrying dire consequences in particular for the Rio Grande Valley’s economy; and
WHEREAS,  our community believes any such law to be out of step with the rules of basic civility, humanity and the human rights of all individuals; and
 WHEREAS, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops have continually argued for the  just treatment with dignity of all those who enter the United States; and
 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT                                                            Catholic Church is opposed to the numerous anti-Hispanic, anti-immigrant bills that have recently been introduced in the Texas Legislature.

PASSED AND APPROVED on this ___ day of _______ 2010.


                                                                                    ______________________
                                                                                    (Organization Name)

Resources for Immigration Legislation

The Texas Catholic Conference has published a list of the proposed legislation on immigration, with a policy paper attached to each: 
http://www.txcatholic.org/index.php/public-policy/current-legislation-bill-reports/immigration

Anti Immigration Legislation Filed in Texas, 2010:

http://rgvequalvoicenetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/anti-immigration-legislation-filed-in.html

Economic benefits of a just, comprehensive immigration reform:

http://rgvequalvoicenetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/economic-benefits-of-comprehensive.html

Ten myths around immigration and immigrants:

http://rgvequalvoicenetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/ten-myths-around-immigration-and.html

A set of resources, also listed here:

http://rgvequalvoicenetwork.blogspot.com/2010/11/series-of-immigration-resources.html

Perryman’s work-- An Analysis of the Economic Impact of Undocumented Workers on Business Activity in the US with Estimated Effects by State and by Industry

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By-S7ktkhYqwNTYzOWZhYjQtYzI0NS00ZWY1LWEyZDAtYjlmMzA4NWZkMjRi&hl=en


ARIZONA’S PUNISHMENT DOESN’T FIT THE CRIME: More flaws in the Arizona laws:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By-S7ktkhYqwOThjNjZhOWQtMmY0My00NzNmLWI4ODMtZTdiNjlkYmJhZWQ3&hl=en

Texas Comptroller’s Excellent Study of the benefits to Texas of immigrants:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By-S7ktkhYqwYTFkY2ZkNGEtNjA3My00ZDNmLWFkMDAtOTgwMjhhMTIzMmQ5&hl=en

Series of Immigration Resources

Immigration resources

Perryman’s work-- An Analysis of the Economic Impact of Undocumented Workers on Business Activity in the US with Estimated Effects by State and by Industry

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By-S7ktkhYqwNTYzOWZhYjQtYzI0NS00ZWY1LWEyZDAtYjlmMzA4NWZkMjRi&hl=en

ARIZONA’S PUNISHMENT DOESN’T FIT THE CRIME: More flaws in the Arizona laws:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By-S7ktkhYqwOThjNjZhOWQtMmY0My00NzNmLWI4ODMtZTdiNjlkYmJhZWQ3&hl=en

Texas Comptroller’s Excellent Study of the benefits to Texas of immigrants:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By-S7ktkhYqwYTFkY2ZkNGEtNjA3My00ZDNmLWFkMDAtOTgwMjhhMTIzMmQ5&hl=en

Ten Myths Around Immigration and Immigrants

  Immigrants don't want to learn English

FALSE

The development of English proficiency among non-English speaking immigrants today mirrors that of Nineteenth and early Twentieth century immigration, when masses of Italian, German, and Eastern European immigrants came to America.  While first generation, non-English speaking immigrants predictably have lower rates of English proficiency than native speakers, 91% of second generation immigrants are fluent or near fluent English speakers.  By the third generation, 97% speak English fluently or near fluently. 

(Source: Shirin Hakimzadeh and D'Vera Cohn, "English Usage Among Hispanics in the United States," Pew Hispanic Forum, Dec. 6, 2007. http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=82; Janet Murguia and Cecilia Muñoz, "From Immigrant to Citizen," The American Prospect (Oct. 23, 2005), http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=10487)

Immigrants Don't Pay Taxes

FALSE

Undocumented immigrants pay taxes.  Between one half and three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay state and federal taxes.  They also contribute to Medicare and provide as much as 7 billion dollars a year to the Social Security Fund.  Further still, undocumented workers pay sales taxes where applicable and property taxes—directly if they own and indirectly if they rent.   

(Source: Immigration Policy Center, "Undocumented Immigrants as Taxpayers," (November 2007), http://www.ailf.org/ipc/factchecks/UndocumentedasTaxpayer.pdf; Eduardo Porter " Illegal Immigrants are Bolstering Social Security with Billions," New York Times, (April 5, 2005), http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?ex=1270353600&en=78c87ac4641dc383&ei=5090&partner=kmarx)

Immigrants Increase the Crime rate

FALSE

Recent research has shown that immigrant communities do not increase the crime rate and that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native born Americans.  While the undocumented immigrant population doubled from 1994 to 2005, violent crime dropped by 34% and property crimes decreased by 32%.  Furthermore, Harvard sociologist Robert Sampson has found that first generation immigrants are 45% less likely to commit violent crimes than Americanized, third generation immigrants.

(Source: Immigration Policy Center, "Ímmigrants and Crime: Are They Connected," December, 2007, http://www.ailf.org/ipc/factchecks/CrimeFactCheck10-16-07.pdf; Robert Sampson, "Open Doors Don't Invite Criminals," The New York Times, March 11, 2006, A15; Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisors, "Immigration's Economic Impact," June 20, 2007, http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.html)

Immigrants Take Jobs Away from Americans

False

 A recent study produced by the Pew Hispanic Center reveals that "Rapid increases in the foreign-born population at the state level are not associated with negative effects on the employment of native-born workers." In fact, given that the number of native born low wage earners is falling nationally, immigrants are playing an important role in offsetting that decline.  The Urban Institute reports that between 2000 and 2005 the total number of low wage workers declined by approximately 1.8 million while the number of unskilled immigrant workers increased by 620,000, thus offsetting the total decline by about a third.   

 (Source: The Urban Institute, "Trends in the Low-Wage Immigrant Labor Force, 2000-2005," March, 2007, http://www.urban.org/publications/411426.html; Rakesh Kochhar, "Growth in the Foreign Born Workforce and Employment of the Native Born," Pew Hispanic Center, August 10, 2006, http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.phpReportID=69)

Immigrants are a drain on the United States Economy

False

The immigrant community is not a drain on the U.S. economy but, in fact, proves to be a net benefit.  Research reported by both the CATO Institute and the President's Council of Economic Advisors reveals that the average immigrant pays a net 80,000 dollars more in taxes than they collect in government services. For immigrants with college degrees the net fiscal return is $198,000.  Furthermore, The American Farm Bureau asserts that without guest workers the U.S. economy would lose as much as $9 billion a year in agricultural production and 20 percent of current production would go overseas.

 (Source: CATO Institute, CATO Handbook for Congress: Policy Recommendations for the 108^th Congress,http://www.cato.org/pubs/handbook/hb108/hb108-63.pdf; Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisors, "Immigration's Economic Impact," June 20, 2007, http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.html; Derrick Z. Jackson, "Undocumented Workers Contribute Plenty, The Boston Globe, April 12, 2006, http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/04/12/undocumented_workers_contribute_plenty/)

Undocumented immigrants are a Burden on the Healthcare System

False

 Federal, state and local governments spend approximately 1.1 billion dollars annually on healthcare costs for undocumented immigrants, aged 18-64, or approximately $11 in taxes for each U.S. household.  This compares to 88 billion dollars spent on all health care for non-elderly adults in the U.S. in 2000.  Foreign born individuals tend to use fewer health care services because they are relatively healthier than their native born counterparts.  For example, in Los Angeles County, "total medical spending on undocumented immigrants was $887 million in 2000 – 6 percent of total costs, although undocumented immigrants comprise 12 percent of the region's residents."

 (Source: The Rand Corporation, "RAND Study Shows Relatively Little Public Money Spent Providing Healthcare to Undocumented Immigrants," November 14, 2006, http://www.rand.org/news/press.06/11.14.html; Dana P. Goldman, James P. Smith and Neeraj Sood, "Immigrants and the Cost of Medical Care," Health Affairs 25, no. 6 (2006): 1700-1711)