RES-2013-053 RESOLUTION NO. 2013- 053
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION
REFORM AND URGING THE 113TH CONGRESS TO ENACT REFORMS
THAT SECURE OUR BORDERS, ENSURE ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND
PROMOTE STRONGER COMMUNITIES
WHEREAS, The City of Anaheim recognizes the economic, social and cultural
contributions immigrants bring to their communities and, in particular, to the City of Anaheim; and
WHEREAS, since the City's founding over 150 years ago, immigrants have had a
significant role in Anaheim's cultural and economic vitality; and
WHEREAS, the responsibility of municipal leaders is to protect the well -being and safety
of all people residing in their cities; and
WHEREAS, it is the duty of the city to respect the liberty and civil rights of all individuals,
regardless of national origin or immigration status; and
WHEREAS, our nation's immigration and border security policies are federal
responsibilities that are in desperate need of a new, improved and modernized legal immigration
system; and
WHEREAS, a talented workforce made up of both skilled and unskilled labor is a key
driver of our local economy; and
WHEREAS, there is a need for reformed national immigration programs that provide the
City's businesses the opportunity to employ foreign workers, when necessary, to improve economic
competitiveness; and
WHEREAS, family unity is a component of a strong economy, and re- unification of
families has been a key part of federal immigration policy for almost fifty years; and
WHEREAS, there is broad support and collaboration among both business and labor
groups to promote comprehensive immigration reform that provides sensible and effective solutions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the City Council of the City of Anaheim,
California, urges the United States Congress to adopt and enact comprehensive immigration reform that
includes the following principles:
1. Providing for controlled admission, fair and just to those already in the legal immigration
process that includes a defined path for permanent residency and /or citizenship for the
nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States today.
2. Continued focus on securing our international borders, in conjunction with immigration
reform initiatives that allow for effective border controls.
3. Establishing an improved visa program, such as the proposed W -Visa, to provide our
businesses with the ability to hire certain categories of foreign workers when legal
residents are unavailable or unwilling to fill jobs.
4. Creating a methodology that accurately assesses labor market needs in order to
determine the number of foreign workers to be admitted for employment purposes
annually.
5. Increasing efforts to advance workforce talent outreach internationally and
strengthening programs in domestic science, technology, engineering, arts, and
mathematics (STEAM) training, to improve ongoing economic competitiveness, while
also promoting legal immigration opportunities.
6. Creating a streamlined process to resolve the backlog of existing visa applications and
developing methods to ensure the efficient processing of future immigration
applications in a timely manner, which will expedite re- unification of families.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the City Clerk is directed to send this resolution to the
President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President
of the United States Senate, and the Honorable Members of the 113th Congress representing the City of
Anaheim.
THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION is approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Anaheim this
1 6th day of Apri 1 , 2013, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Mayor Tait, Council Members Eastman, Brandman, Murray and Kring
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
CITY OF ANAHEIM
21 V 1 4 7
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM