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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1380 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1380

Commending Federal and local law enforcement for their efforts to crack 
 down on illegal immigration in the Chicagoland suburbs and calling on 
the Governor of the State of Illinois to immediately implement employee 
verification technology to curb rising trends in illegal immigration in 
                         the State of Illinois.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 24, 2008

     Mr. Roskam (for himself and Mr. Kirk) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and 
in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Commending Federal and local law enforcement for their efforts to crack 
 down on illegal immigration in the Chicagoland suburbs and calling on 
the Governor of the State of Illinois to immediately implement employee 
verification technology to curb rising trends in illegal immigration in 
                         the State of Illinois.

Whereas on July 19, 2008, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, in 
        conjunction with local law enforcement, arrested 49 individuals in a 4 
        day operation targeting illegal immigrants with ties to violent street 
        gangs in the north and northwest Chicago suburbs;
Whereas these arrests were made under Operation Community Shield, a 
        comprehensive nationwide effort between ICE and other Federal and local 
        law enforcement agencies to address the significant public safety threat 
        posed by criminal illegal immigrants;
Whereas 42 of the 49 individuals arrested had prior criminal histories, 
        including convictions and arrests for drunken driving, drug possession, 
        aggravated battery, burglary, theft, and domestic battery;
Whereas 9 of the individuals arrested had been previously deported;
Whereas it is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in Federal prison to reenter 
        the United States after being formally deported;
Whereas the enforcement efforts were undertaken by men and women of the 
        sheriff's departments of Cook County, Boone County, DuPage County, and 
        Winnebago County and the police departments of Addison, Belvidere, 
        Bensenville, Elgin, Franklin Park, Harvard, Mt. Prospect, West Chicago, 
        Wheeling, and Woodstock;
Whereas more than 8,900 illegal immigrant gang members have been arrested since 
        Operation Community Shield began in 2005;
Whereas the State of Illinois has a rapidly-growing illegal immigrant population 
        that is now estimated at more than 550,000;
Whereas the illegal immigrant population in Illinois is 4th largest in the 
        Nation, surpassed only by states along the United States southern 
        border;
Whereas the Governor of Illinois has expressed support for policies to extend 
        taxpayer-funded benefits and services to illegal immigrants;
Whereas the Illinois General Assembly passed and the Governor of Illinois signed 
        into law legislation to prohibit the use of employee verification 
        technology to determine the immigration status and employment 
        eligibility of prospective hires;
Whereas such legislation undermines the right of Illinois employers to use every 
        possible tool to comply with Federal law in not hiring illegal 
        immigrants;
Whereas employment verification technology is the most effective and efficient 
        way for employers to determine the immigration status of new employees; 
        and
Whereas the State of Illinois spends an estimated $2,500,000,000 each year in 
        providing free or taxpayer-subsidized education, healthcare, and State 
        service benefits to illegal immigrants: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the local law enforcement officers 
        participating in Operation Community Shield to protect American 
        families and communities from the threat of violent illegal 
        immigrant gang activity;
            (2) reaffirms the basic right of every employer in the 
        United States to verify the immigration status of prospective 
        employees;
            (3) calls on the Illinois General Assembly to repeal 
        Illinois Public Act 095-0138, which violates Federal law by 
        denying employers the right to verify the legal status of 
        potential employees; and
            (4) urges the Governor and State legislature of Illinois to 
        take every possible action to enforce existing immigration laws 
        and address the growing illegal immigrant population in the 
        State of Illinois.
                                 <all>
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