LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the New York State Congressional deleg-
ation to implement a policy for amnesty for undocumented immigrants, and
request the United States Department of Homeland Security to end the
sweeping raids on immigrants

WHEREAS, The number of immigrants held in United States detention each
day has tripled from 10,000 in 1996 to more than 30,000 in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Many undocumented immigrants are detained without receiving
hearings to determine whether their detentions are warranted; and
WHEREAS, Many detainees experience extreme difficulty in navigating
the United States legal system; unlike criminal defendants, who are
entitled to a free attorney if they cannot afford one, low income immi-
grants usually have to depend on pro-bono attorneys resulting in more
than 80 percent of immigration detainees lacking legal representation;
and
WHEREAS, Without representation, Amnesty International stated that
many immigrants simply give up and return to their home countries, even
if they feel they have a strong case that they are entitled to stay in
the United States; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has acceler-
ated the pace of enforcement in the Nation's interior, focusing on
undocumented workers as well as immigrants with criminal convictions;
the increased number of immigration raids has resulted in the separation
of families and is inflicting economic and social costs on American
communities; and
WHEREAS, The dramatic increase in raids and the skyrocketing use of
detention centers are costing taxpayers more than $1 billion each year;
many businesses are shut down after raids -- displacing all workers and
in small towns, other businesses are forced to shut down as many immi-
grants are too fearful to go to work or shop for necessities; and
WHEREAS, Immigration enforcement should focus on rules that ensure due
process, as well as our core constitutional values; the strategies
should focus on those who came to this country to commit crimes with
impunity; they should also focus on employers who have physically,
financially and emotionally abused immigrants for financial gain; smug-
glers who abandon border-crossers to die in the desert should be prose-
cuted to the fullest extent of the law; and
WHEREAS, The federal government cannot fix our immigration system with
an "enforcement-only" approach; immigration reform is key to our
Nation's security and prosperity; our current immigration policy serves
neither; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
urge the New York State Congressional delegation to implement a policy
for amnesty for undocumented immigrants, and request the United States
Department of Homeland Security to end the sweeping raids on immigrants;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to each member of the Congressional delegation from the State of
New York.