Resolution To Intervene in the Criminalization of Hispanic Undocumented Immigrants Under the Immigration and Naturalization Act 275 and 276

WHEREAS, 83 years ago, the founders of the League of Latin American Citizens, (LULAC) joined together to establish an organization that would become the largest, oldest and successful Hispanic civil rights and service organization in the United States, and

WHEREAS, LULAC has adopted a comprehensive National Policy Platform 2011-2012, which opposes any legislation that threatens the rights of immigrants, criminalizes them or those that provide them assistance and alarms Latino communities, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports comprehensive immigration reform that provide an avenue for undocumented workers to legalize their status, and

WHEARAS, LULAC will continue the strong opposition to the harsh and inhumane treatment of undocumented persons, and

WHEREAS, Title 8, Sections 1325, 1326 of the U.S. Code (U.S.C.) and Section 275, 276 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.) deal with definitions and civil penalties under the law, and

WHEREAS, civil penalties of fines under I.N.A. Section 275 are more than adequate for undocumented persons that are lawful abiding residents,

BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC advocates for the elimination of the law that criminalizes law abiding, undocumented workers as felons unless otherwise proven; and, demand that those that were "removed" or deported after being charged as "felons" be given every opportunity to return to the USA and proceed with their citizenship process, post haste.

Approved this 30th day of June 2012.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President