ACR66

A Concurrent Resolution condemning the United States Executive Orders regarding immigration.

Whereas, President Donald Trump signed three Executive Orders in January 2017 addressing a range of immigration issues; and

Whereas, The first Executive Order, signed on January 25, 2017, calls for the Secretary of Homeland Security to “take all appropriate steps to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border,” calls for 5,000 new border patrol officers, and seeks to empower State and local law enforcement to perform the functions of federal immigration officers, in addition to other provisions; and

Whereas, The second Executive Order, also signed on January 25, 2017, withholds federal grant money from “sanctuary jurisdictions,” subject to designation at the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security, which the order states shield undocumented immigrants from removal from the United States, and also seeks to empower State and local law enforcement to perform the functions of federal immigration officers, in addition to other provisions; and

Whereas, The Executive Orders are contrary to the basic principles of the Constitution and long-held American values and will make the United States and New Jersey less safe, including creating an environment of fear and distrust between law enforcement and immigrant communities; and

Whereas, Deputizing State and local law enforcement to serve as federal immigration officers would divert taxpayer funds from their intended purpose of keeping New Jersey communities safe, and result in undocumented immigrants who fear that working with police will lead to deportation becoming less likely to report crimes and more likely to be crime victims; and

Whereas, The third Executive Order, signed on January 27, 2017, places a selective ban for 90 days on the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen; suspends all refugee admission for 120 days; and bars all Syrian refugees from entering the United States indefinitely; and

Whereas, Since the Executive Order was signed, there have been reports of refugees who had been vetted for years before being approved to come to the United States, and Iraqis who have worked for years with the United States military, being denied entry; and

Whereas, It has also been reported that individuals with valid entry visas or legal resident status, including children, international students, professors, and other professionals and visitors, are trapped overseas, in third countries, or have been detained upon arrival to the United States; and

Whereas, The Executive Orders continue to draw furious condemnation from civil rights and religious groups, as well as immigrant advocacy organizations, who described them as mean-spirited, counterproductive, and costly, and stated that the new policies undermine the American tradition of welcoming people from around the world; and

Whereas, The Executive Orders will have a detrimental impact on businesses and companies that rely on the expertise of professionals from abroad to operate; and

Whereas, The United States has long served as a beacon of freedom and hope for international immigrants and refugees in search of better economic opportunity and religious freedom, and the Executive Orders are a dramatic, radical, and extreme assault on immigration and the values of our country; and

Whereas, New Jersey, as one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse states in the nation, indiscriminately values the significant cultural, social, and economic contributions of immigrants and refugees from all nations and religious beliefs to the State’s history and prosperity; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. This House strongly condemns the United States Executive Orders signed by President Trump which: 1) call for the construction of a physical wall along the southern border of this country, among other provisions; 2) withhold federal grant money from sanctuary jurisdictions as designated by the federal government; 3) seek to empower State and local law enforcement to serve as immigration officers; and 4) suspend immigration for 90 days from the seven Muslim-majority countries of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, suspend all refugee admissions into the United States for 120 days, and indefinitely bar all Syrian refugees from entering the United States.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President and Vice President of the United States; the Majority and Minority Leader of the United States Senate; the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives; and every member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution condemns the United States Executive Orders regarding immigration.

President Donald Trump signed three Executive Orders in January 2017 addressing a range of immigration issues. The first Executive Order, signed on January 25, 2017, calls for the Secretary of Homeland Security to “take all appropriate steps to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border,” calls for 5,000 new border patrol officers, and seeks to empower State and local law enforcement to perform the functions of federal immigration officers, in addition to other provisions.

The second Executive Order, also signed on January 25, 2017, withholds federal grant money from “sanctuary jurisdictions,” subject to designation at the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security, which the order states shield undocumented immigrants from removal from the United States, and also seeks to empower State and local law enforcement to perform the functions of federal immigration officers, in addition to other provisions.

These two Executive Orders are contrary to the basic principles of the Constitution and long-held American values and will make the United States and New Jersey less safe, including creating an environment of fear and distrust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.

The third Executive Order, signed on January 27, 2017, places a selective ban for 90 days on the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen; suspends all refugee admission for 120 days; and bars all Syrian refugees from entering the United States indefinitely.

Since the Executive Order was signed, there have been reports of refugees who had been vetted for years before being approved to come to the United States, and Iraqis who have worked for years with the United States military, being denied entry.

The Executive Orders continue to draw furious condemnation from civil rights and religious groups, as well as immigrant advocacy organizations, who described them as mean-spirited, counterproductive, and costly, and stated that the new policies undermine the American tradition of welcoming people from around the world.

The United States has long served as a beacon of freedom and hope for international immigrants and refugees in search of better economic opportunity and religious freedom; and the Executive Orders are a dramatic, radical, and extreme assault on immigration and the values of our country.

New Jersey, as one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse states in the nation, indiscriminately values the significant cultural, social, and economic contributions of immigrants and refugees from all nations and religious beliefs to the State’s history and prosperity.