Amended in Assembly April 10, 2013

Amended in Assembly April 1, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 3

Introduced by Assembly Member Alejo

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bonta, Campos, Chesbro, begin insert Dickinson, end insert Fong, begin insert Garcia, end insert Roger Hernández, Levine, Medina, begin insert Muratsuchi, end insert V. Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Rendon, Ting, begin insert Wieckowski, end insert Williams, and Yamada)

(Coauthors: Senators Correa, De León, begin insert Lieu, end insert Padilla, and Yee)

December 3, 2012

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 3—Relative to immigration.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AJR 3, as amended, Alejo. Immigration.

This measure would specify tenets for repairing the nation’s begin delete broken end delete immigration system, and would urge Congress and the President of the United States to take a humane and just approach to improving the nation’s immigration system using those tenets.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, The United States of America is a nation of values,
founded on the principles that all men and women are created
equal, and the promise of freedom for all; and

WHEREAS, We are a nation of immigrants, who believe in the
promise of freedom and opportunity; and

WHEREAS, The current immigration system is broken,
antiquated, and not meeting the challenges of the 21st century. It
separates families, including same-sex begin delete couples and end delete begin insert couple end insert families,
begin delete and end delete creates long backlogs for families begin delete who are end delete seeking
begin delete reunification. Further, it end delete begin insert reunification, and end insert neglects the hard work
and financial contributions immigrants make to our country; and

WHEREAS, Since 2008, more than 1.6 million immigrants have
been deported, and one in every 10 American children faces the
threat of the deportation of a parent; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that about 11 million undocumented
immigrants are in the United States, and California has the largest
population of immigrants, both legal and undocumented; and

WHEREAS, Immigrants and their children constitute nearly
one-half of California’s population and live and work in all 58
counties, most notably in the San Diego, Central Valley, Los
Angeles, and greater San Francisco areas; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 77 percent of undocumented
immigrants who reside in California live with family members
who are legal United States residents and citizens; and

WHEREAS, One in 10 workers in California is an
undocumented immigrant, and immigrants are a vibrant,
productive, and vital part of the state’s growing economy; and

WHEREAS, Immigrants are essential in keeping the American
economy strong; from technology programmers in the Silicon
Valley to restaurant owners and workers, immigrants are filling
an intrinsic need in the labor force; and

WHEREAS, Agricultural workers have been performing very
important and difficult work to maintain America’s food supply,
and have a role of ensuring that Americans have safe and secure
agricultural products to sell and consume; and

WHEREAS, Students should not be punished for their
immigration status but instead should be given recognition for
their sacrifice, hard work, and determination; and

WHEREAS, The United States can do a better job of attracting
and keeping the world’s best and brightest. A comprehensive
immigration reform should also grant immigrants who have
received a Ph.D. or master’s degree in science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics from an American university the
opportunity to invest in and contribute to this great nation. For the
future of our economy, it makes no sense to educate the world’s
future innovators and entrepreneurs only to ultimately force them
to leave our country at the moment they are most able to contribute
to our economy; and

WHEREAS, Modernizing our antiquated and dysfunctional
immigration system will uphold our nation’s basic values of
fairness, equality, as well as opportunity, and

WHEREAS, A comprehensive, as well as compassionate,
approach to solve our broken immigration system should be one
that works for all communities and families in America; and

WHEREAS, A just immigration reform must ensure that it
reflects one of our basic values--that we all are created equal--thus
immigration reform must recognize each immigrant’s full
humanity; and

begin insert

WHEREAS, In order to enhance federal matching resources to
cover all eligible residents in our state, the federal government
should include participation of new Americans in programs derived
from the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and
should allow new Americans to participate in publicly funded
programs to expedite their integration into our state; and

end insert

WHEREAS, A proposal must be comprised of the following
tenets that achieve all of the following: (1) include a direct road
map to full citizenship that is inalienable, affordable, and inclusive
for the 11 million immigrants who are currently living in the
shadows; (2) reform of immigration enforcement programs that
separate families and ensures that family unification systems are
strengthened; (3) upgrade the current visa programs in order to
have a legal workforce and a system that better enforces labor
protections; and (4) uphold due process as well as the inherent
rights of all immigrants; 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 humane and just
approach to solving our nation’s broken immigration system; 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, to
the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and
Representative from California in the Congress of the United
States, to the Governor of California, and to the author of this
resolution.