Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013/04/23 Item 14~~rr~ __..._ ~~ CHULA VISfA TO: Honorable Mayor Cox and Councilmembers Aguilar, Bensoussan and Ramirez FROM: Councilmember Mary Salas DATE: April 18, 2013 SUBJECT: City Council Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Immigration reform is an important issue currently being discussed and debated by Congress. As the San Diego-Tijuana International border ports of entry are a driver of our regional and national economies, with benefits approaching $500 billion in trade in 2011, it is vital that our City Council ensures that our federal representatives clearly understand our priorities on this matter. In this light, the attached resolution language is submitted for city council consideration. This proposal sends a clear message to Washington that reforming the immigration system in a way that allows for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States, and otherwise being lawful and productive residents, is vital to a successful strategy and a huge benefit to all moving forward. I encourage the City Council to support the attached resolution. 14-1 RESOLUTION NO. 2013 - RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA URGING THE IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF REASONABLE AND COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM THROUGH A BI-PARTISAN APPROACH WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista ("City") is a diverse city with residents that include immigrants and refugees, from many parts of the world, who work, own homes, operate businesses and contribute to the economiq social, and cultural well-being of the City; and WHEREAS, the United States is a beacon of liberty with due process and civil rights firmly embedded in the democratic principles of this nation, principals that must be reflected in our immigration system; and WHEREAS, the City is located just 7 miles north of the city of Tijuana, Mexico, and the two cities have significant economic, social and cultural ties; and WHEREAS, in addition to the cultural and social riches our nation receives through the San Diego-Tijuana international border, the ports of entry drive regional and national trade with economic benefits approaching $500 billion in trade in 2011, according to a 2012 Border Research Partnership report produced by the Wilson Center; and WHEREAS, yeazs of gridlock in Congress on immigration reform has created a broken immigration system which has led to serious, adverse social and economic implications for the City and the San Diego metropolitan region; and WHEREAS, it is important that immigration reform preserve families and keep them together, regardless of immigration status, race, ethnicity, religion, gender national origin, age, disability, family structure, sexual orientation, gender identity, including same-sex couples, and provide sufficient family-based channels for migration in the future; and WHEREAS the City supports-and immigration reform should include-an efficient and safe border, including added federal investment in infrastructure and technology at our ports of entry, as well as adequate staffing, to keep pace with expanding bilateral trade and population growth of the border region; and WHEREAS, the City supports-and. immigration reform should include-a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living within our nation's borders not tied to unreasonable conditions; and 1 14-2 WHEREAS, it is equally important to provide a pathway to citizenship for those individuals who entered the United States without proper documentation as young children and have been raised and educated in the United States; and WHEREAS, the current visa backlog for family-sponsored immigration petitions is over 20 years long and deters individuals wanting to come to the United States from doing so; and WHEREAS, reform must clear out the visa backlog, streamline the process for procuring visas, and include business accountability measures to ensure that U.S. companies have the resources they need when talent is not available. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Chula Vista supports the work of the 113' Congress of the United States, through a bi- partisan approach, to reform the currently broken immigration system. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Chula Vista urges the President and Congress, using this bi-partisan approach, to immediately develop and adopt reasonable and comprehensive immigration reform policies, as described in this resolution, for the benefit of the City, the greater San Diego region, and the nation. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, and to the Honorable members of the 113`h Congress of the United States who represent the San Diego region, to urge their immediate attention to this matter. Presented by Mary Salas, City Councilmember Approved as to form by Glen R. ogin , 't Att ey 2 14-3 4~z3~~ RESOLUTION NO. 20] 3 - RESOLUTION OF THE CI"I'Y COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA URGING THE IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF REASONABLE -AND COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM THROUGH A BI-PARTISAN APPROACH WHEREAS, the City of Chula Vista ("City") is a diverse city with residents that include immigrants and refugees, from many parts of the world, who work, own homes, operate businesses and contribute to the. economic, social, and cultural well-being of the City; and WI-IEREAS, the United States is a beacon of liberty with due process and civil rights firmly embedded in the democratic principles of this nation, principals that must be reflected in our immigration system; and WHEREAS, the City is located just 7 miles north of the city of Tijuana, Mexico, and the two cities have significant economic, social and cultural ties; and WHEREAS, in addition to the cultural and social riches our nation receives through the San Diego-Tijuana international border, the ports of entry drive regional and national trade with economic benefits approaching $500 billion in trade in 2011, _ according to a 20]2 Border Research Partnership report produced by the Wilson Center; and WHEREAS, years of gridlock in Congress on immigration reform has created a broken immigration system which has led to serious, adverse social and economic implications for the City and the San Diego metropolitan region; and WHEREAS, it is important that immigration reform preserve all families, in the broadest sense, and keep them together, regardless of immigration status, -°°°, °''~~~°~'° f D e b u~ouvia ~~, a»... .~ ~.. »...». .,......». ."............"., and provide sufficient family-based chamiels for migration inYtte future; and WHEREAS the City supports-and immigration reform should include-an efficient and safe border, including added federal investment in infrastructure and technology at our ports of entry, as well as adequate staffing, to keep pace with expanding bilateral trade and population growth of the border region; and WHEREAS, the City supports-and immigration reform should include-a pathway to citizenship for the ] 1 million undocumented immigrants living within our nation's borders not tied to unreasonable conditions; and WHEREAS, it is equally important to provide a pathway to citizenship for those individuals who entered the United States without proper documentation as young children and have been raised and educated in the United States; and WI-IEREAS, the current visa backlog for family-sponsored immigration petitions is over 20 years long and deters individuals wanting to come to the United States from doing so; and WHEREAS, reform must clear out the visa backlog, streamline the process for procuring visas, and include business accountability measures to ensure that U.S. companies have the resources they need when talent is not available. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Chula Vista supports the work of the l 13th Congress of the United States, through a bi- partisan approach, to reform the cun'ently broken immigration system. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Chula Vista urges the President and Congress, using this bi-partisan approach, to immediately develop and adopt reasonable and comprehensive immigration reform policies, as described in this resohttion, for the benefit of the City, the greater San Diego region, and the nation: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is directed to send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, and Co the Honorable members of the 113`h Congress of the United States who represent the San Diego region, to urge their immediate attention to this matter. Presented by Approved as to form by Mary Salas, City Councilmember Glen R. Googins, City Attorney 2