AGENDA #4h

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            Council Member Bill Strom

SUBJECT:       Resolution Requesting Review of Immigration Laws and Policies

DATE:             April 22, 2002

The attached resolution would ask the U.S. Government to reform current immigration law and policy to provide undocumented immigrants with legal permission to work and live in the United States and to institute immigration policies that will address the economic and national security needs of the United States.

I ask that the Council adopt the attached resolution.

A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE REFORM OF U.S. IMMIGRATION LAW AND POLICY (2002-04-22/R-7)

WHEREAS, U.S. international economic policy leads to the impoverishment of workers in developing nations, leading those workers to seek a better way of life in the United States; and

WHEREAS, recent changes in Social Security Administration practices have resulted in dozens of immigrants losing their jobs in our region of North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, immigration reform is needed to remedy this situation, which is affecting millions of immigrants and their families here and abroad; and

WHEREAS, undocumented immigrants pay federal, state and local taxes, including Social        Security and Medicare; and

WHEREAS, local governments bear the significant infrastructure and operational costs of providing services to all their residents; and

WHEREAS, not providing a legal means of working and living in this country forces millions of immigrants into a clandestine way of life, creating a black market for documents, which threatens national security and the personal welfare of immigrants;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council calls upon the United States Government to reform immigration laws in order to provide undocumented immigrants with legal permission to work and live in our community and in our country.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council calls upon the United States Government to institute a long-term immigration policy that will address the economic and national security needs of the United States and calls upon citizens, other local governments, our congressional delegation and other interested parties to endorse similar proclamations in order to encourage the national government to take action.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council reaffirms support of the Orange County, N.C., Statement of Corporate Citizenship and calls on all employers in our region to provide a Living Wage equal to the well-being and dignity of all workers.

This the 22^nd day of April, 2002.