By Justin O’Brien
June 4, 2007

MAYORS NATIONAL POLICY ON IMMIGRATION REFORM (74th Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, Las Vegas)   WHEREAS, the need for common'sense and humane immigration reform is recognized by President Bush and members of both major political parties, and is supported by the leaders of business, organized labor, and faith communities; and reform addresses the nation’s needs for security and employment, while also providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the President of the United States and the United States Congress to approve and sign comprehensive immigration reform legislation that strengthens our nation’s border security, includes a fair and efficient guest worker program, and provides a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented people who live and work in the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors opposes efforts to criminalize undocumented workers for their presence in the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors restates our opposition to efforts in the United States Congress to impose an unfunded federal mandate on local governments by requiring local governments, without reimbursement or training, to enforce immigration violations that are by their nature a Federal responsibility or by reducing local government’s Federal grants in an attempt to coerce them into enforcing Federal immigration laws.

The immigration policy of The U.S. Conference of Mayors is unequivocal that reform is urgently needed and that it must be comprehensive. Immigration and border security were prominent topics of discussion at the Mayors 2006 Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors in Las Vegas, the 74th annual meeting of the nation’s mayors since the organization’s founding in 1933. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa sponsored Resolution No. 38, “In Support of Border Security and Comprehensive Immigration Reform”, which was debated in the Conference’s Standing Committee on Criminal and Social Justice chaired by Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage.

The policy position on immigration and border security was adopted unanimously by the Conference during the parliamentary business session that followed.

Citing valued contributions of immigrants to the economic, cultural, and political life of the United States and its cities, the engines of the national economy, recognized and honored throughout the country’s history from across the political spectrum. The nation’s mayors say that reform must uphold our basic values as a nation and should include the following key elements:

• A workable and efficient guest worker program to satisfy the country’s labor and employment needs that provides a safe and orderly process for enabling willing immigrant workers to fill essential jobs in our economy. Undocumented workers fill key roles in city and state economies throughout the country.

• Stronger border security.

• A path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living and working in the country.

Furthermore, the mayors oppose any efforts in the Congress to criminalize the presence of undocumented workers. The mayors have long held and consistent record of opposing congressional efforts to impose unfunded federal mandates on cities and other local governments requiring, without reimbursement or training, enforcement of immigration violations that are by nature a federal responsibility. Past efforts have included attempts to reduce a city’s federal grants in order to coerce them into enforcing federal immigration laws.

For more information on mayors policy on immigration and related issues, visit the website usmayors.org.