Drafter
Clerk 05/23/2006
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A MOTION establishing King County's support of and advocacy for comprehensive and effective immigration reform that respects established civil rights, ensures due process of law for immigrants, including freedom from racial profiling and enforcement that is neither arbitrary or selective, reunites and protects families, protects workers regardless of immigration status, offers a pathway to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants in this nation and therefore leads to the strengthening of our borders and national security, as a priority for action in the 2006 (FY 2007) Federal Agenda - Legislative Interests for King County.
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WHEREAS, the metropolitan King County council and the King County executive recognize that the United States is truly a nation of immigrants and, as such, must recognize that our nation's wealth and prosperity was built in significant part by the tireless dedication of the millions of immigrants who have made the United States of America their home, and
WHEREAS, comprehensive and effective immigration reform will give our undocumented neighbors who have been living and working in King County a lawful and orderly path to permanent legal status and citizenship, while recognizing their established civil rights and need for protections from exploitation for all workers in King County and the United States, and
WHEREAS, comprehensive and effective immigration reform will restore and protect immigrants' rights to due process of law, provide freedom from racial profiling and ensure consistent enforcement that is not arbitrary nor selective, and
WHEREAS, comprehensive and effective immigration reform will respect the established civil rights of all of our county's residents and will eliminate the backlog in family immigration, helping in the reunification of families in King County and our nation, and will create a lawful and orderly process for people who want to come to our country and work or become naturalized citizens, and
WHEREAS, King County is home to thousands of both documented and undocumented immigrants and their families who work determinedly on behalf of our county and state, paying taxes, enriching our economy and enhancing our culture, helping ensure that Washingtonians continue to live in one of the most prosperous and beautiful regions of this great nation, and
WHEREAS, King County agrees that providing comprehensive and effective immigration reform will provide a clear and direct path to the American dream and therefore leads to the strengthening of our borders and the security of our nation, and
WHEREAS, by ensuring that all of our county's immigrants are provided a lawful and orderly path to citizenship and that all residents' established civil rights are guaranteed, we will allow King County to continue to grow as one of our nation's most prosperous counties, and
WHEREAS, nothing in this legislation supports providing the right to vote for non-citizens, and
WHEREAS, the King County council and the King County executive will continue to monitor congressional developments and immigration reform legislation and ask our delegation to support comprehensive and effective immigration reform;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The King County council hereby adds the attached language on immigration reform legislation to the 2006 (FY 2007) Federal Agenda - Legislative Interests for King County. The King County council and the King County executive will strongly advocate
to our congressional and senate delegations for legislation that offers comprehensive and effective immigration reform.