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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Immigration laws exist to provide a process for |
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legal entry into this country and to protect our national security; |
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clearly, these laws are ineffective in achieving those purposes |
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without proper enforcement; and |
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WHEREAS, A country that does not know the identity of those |
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entering or leaving the country is inviting criminals and |
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terrorists to live anonymously within its borders; and |
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WHEREAS, The message from Americans is loud and clear: our |
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first priority must be securing our borders and enforcing current |
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immigration laws; only then should we determine what changes, if |
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any, are needed to our immigration policy; and |
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WHEREAS, Failure to adequately enforce immigration laws |
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exacts a high price on local taxpayers; Texas prisons currently |
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house approximately 10,000 illegal immigrants who have been |
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convicted of crimes, costing valuable taxpayer dollars; and |
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WHEREAS, Similarly, local property taxes increase when |
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schools must educate the children of illegal immigrants; this, too, |
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could be prevented by enforcement of current immigration laws; and |
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WHEREAS, Health care is another area affected by lax |
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enforcement of immigration laws; indigent illegal immigrants who |
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use local hospital emergency rooms for treatment increase the cost |
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of health care for all Americans; and |
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WHEREAS, Making the enforcement of current immigration laws a |
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priority would enhance national security, fulfill the will of the |
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American people, and save local taxpayers billions of dollars; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby express its support for the enforcement of |
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current immigration laws. |