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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The federal government's failure to secure the |
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border and enforce immigration laws has placed the burden of |
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controlling the Texas-Mexico border and funding the costs of |
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illegal immigration on the State of Texas and local governments; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Although border security is a federal |
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responsibility, the federal government has abdicated this |
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important duty, leaving the Texas-Mexico border unsecured, |
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unprotected, and vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists and |
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criminal organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, An unsecured and unprotected border provides a safe |
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haven for drug traffickers, human smugglers, and the growing sex |
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slave industry; terrorist groups have been known to use these |
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criminal enterprises to facilitate terrorist activities and |
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operations; and |
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WHEREAS, The federal government's inaction on illegal |
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immigration is further demonstrated by its failures to create a |
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guest worker program and to stimulate the Mexican economy, |
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initiatives that would address the influx of illegal labor into |
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this country; as a result, illegal immigration costs push the |
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limits of state and local budgets; and |
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WHEREAS, These costs are suffered at the local level through |
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overcrowded schools, unpaid medical services at hospitals, the |
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deterioration of once-thriving neighborhoods, and the depression |
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of wages for hardworking domestic laborers; similarly, at the state |
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level, budget writers must consider the impact of illegal |
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immigration on the provision of state services; and |
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WHEREAS, Paragraph 2, Article VI, United States |
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Constitution, establishes the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, |
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and U.S. treaties as "the supreme law of the land"; this |
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"supremacy" clause preempts states from creating policies to reform |
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immigration and border security law even if the federal government |
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has neglected its duty to address these issues; and |
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WHEREAS, States are increasingly burdened by the |
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disingenuous methods and strategies used by the executive branch |
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and the United States Congress to delay action on a fair and |
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commonsense solution to illegal immigration and border security; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby express dissatisfaction with the federal government's |
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failure to secure the border and enforce immigration laws; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby declares that the state |
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will not support gamesmanship and deal-making as a substitute for |
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an equitable and reasonable resolution to this important issue. |