Bill Text: MI HR0233 | 2009-2010 | 95th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to fix our broken immigration system.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-23 - Referred To Committee On Government Operations [HR0233 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2009-HR0233-Introduced.html
Reps. Tlaib, Byrnes, Robert Jones, Liss, Lori and Smith offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 233.
A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to fix our broken immigration system.
Whereas, Americans deserve an immigration system that protects all workers and guarantees the safety of our nation without compromising our fundamental civil rights, human rights, or civil liberties; and
Whereas, The current patchwork of policies and practices related to immigration are acknowledged by most Americans as ineffective. Inconsistencies and short-sightedness in some areas related to immigration are not serving our nation well; and
Whereas, In far too many instances, discussions on immigration are obscured by inaccurate information, misconceptions, and fear rather than facts. While this is an admittedly complex issue that influences our entire country, there is much that can be done to improve how our nation addresses the challenges facing immigrants and immigration reform; and
Whereas, Our nation's immigration policies must be consistent with our core American values of humanely treating all individuals with respect and dignity, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or religion; and
Whereas, Our current immigration system far too often separates families of mixed-status, tearing U.S. citizen children from their parents; and
Whereas, Immigrants from lands across the globe have helped build our great nation. Newcomers have contributed to our country by strengthening our cultural and social fabric and adding their energies and ideas to our economy; and
Whereas, The roughly 26 million immigrants now in the United States who arrived after the age of 18 represent a windfall of roughly $2.8 trillion to U.S. taxpayers, who get the benefit of their labor without the cost of their upbringing and education; and
Whereas, A Fiscal Policy Institute study looked at the nation’s 25 largest metropolitan areas -- including metro Detroit -- and found that immigration spurs economic growth; and
Whereas, A 2007 report of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers found that immigrant labor complements the different skills of citizens, increases their productivity, and raises the income of U.S. workers by over $30 billion a year; and
Whereas, A Pew Hispanic Center study in 27 states and the District of Columbia from 2000-2004 found a positive correlation between the increase in the foreign-born population and the employment of native-born workers; and
Whereas, Almost all immigrants pay income taxes (even though they cannot benefit from most state and federal programs), and all pay sales tax. A 2005 Urban Institute study found undocumented immigrants pay $6-7 billion in Social Security taxes that they will never be able to claim. A 1997 study by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that, on average, immigrants pay $80,000 more in overall taxes than they receive in state, federal, and local benefits over their lifetimes; now, therefore, it be
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to implement fair and just immigration reform; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
