Bill Text: CA SJR13 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Immigration reform: F3 and F4 visa categories.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 50-2)

Status: (Passed) 2013-09-20 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 132, Statutes of 2013. [SJR13 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SJR13-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: SJR 13	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Yee

                        MAY 24, 2013

   Relative to immigration.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 13, as introduced, Yee. Immigration reform: F3 and F4 visa
categories.
   This measure would memorialize the President and Congress of the
United States to reject all immigration reform efforts that seek to
hurt families by eliminating or negatively impacting the F3 and F4
visa categories. The measure would memorialize the President and
Congress to take a comprehensive, bipartisan, and well reasoned
approach to immigration issues that maintains the fair and
appropriate priority for family reunification.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, Immigrants are a vibrant, productive, and vital part of
California's growing economy, diverse cultural fabric, and changing
demographics; and
   WHEREAS, Immigrants fuel California's economy through their labor
and entrepreneurship, comprising approximately one-third of
California's labor force and figuring prominently in key economic
sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and
services; and
   WHEREAS, Federal legislation has been proposed that offers a path
to citizenship for many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants
already living in the United States; and
   WHEREAS, Unfortunately, the proposed law eliminates the F4 visa
category so that United States citizens will no longer be able to
sponsor their brothers and sisters. It also places an age cap on the
F3 visa category so that United States citizens can only sponsor
their adult children if they are not more than 30 years old; and
   WHEREAS, Eliminating the ability of United States citizens to
sponsor their loved ones such as brothers, sisters, and adult married
children 31 years of age and older, runs counter to the family
values that are a cornerstone of our nation. It is also
counterproductive since it limits the ability of immigrant families
to contribute to the entrepreneurship and innovation that have been
vital drivers of economic growth throughout our nation's history; and

   WHEREAS, People with their families are happier, healthier, and
more able to succeed than those living apart for years on end. By
pooling resources, families can do together what they cannot do
alone-start businesses, create jobs, and contribute more to the
general welfare; and
   WHEREAS, Eliminating the F4 and altering the F3 visa categories
will have a profound impact on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
In November 2012, there were 4.3 million people in the family
immigration backlog, nearly one-half of whom were from Asian
countries. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders sponsored over 40
percent of all family-based visas in 2010. Some Asian immigrants have
been forced to wait as long as 23 years to be reunited with their
families in the United States, largely due to the limitations and
inefficiencies of our legal immigration system; and
   WHEREAS, We support the expansion of availability of H-1B visas as
well as other visas necessary to bring needed workers into our
country to grow our economy; and
   WHEREAS, We commend the efforts of the federal government in
working towards a comprehensive reform measure that is compassionate
to the immigrant, protects our nation's economy, and safeguards our
national security while upholding the dignity of the United States
Constitution. However, we strongly encourage congressional
representatives to reexamine the possible elimination of the F4 visa
category and modification of the F3 visa category; and
   WHEREAS, A bipartisan, comprehensive workable immigration reform
package must be based not only on a path towards permanent residency
and citizenship, but also on the promotion of strong and healthy
families who are the core of our vibrant nation; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California
respectfully memorializes the President and the Congress of the
United States to reject all immigration reform efforts that seek to
hurt families by eliminating or negatively impacting the F3 and F4
visa categories; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature urges the President and the
Congress of the United States to take a comprehensive, bipartisan,
and well-reasoned approach to solving our nation's broken immigration
system, while maintaining the fair and appropriate priority for
family reunification; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate 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.