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Executive

July 2010, Executive Committee

MANHATTAN BOROUGH BOARD RESOLUTION DENOUNCING ARIZONA'S NEW IMMIGRATION LAW

Whereas, America is a nation of immigrants and New York City is sustained by our immigrant past, present and future; and

Whereas, New York City is home to the largest population of immigrants of any city in the U.S.; well over 3 million foreign-born residents comprise nearly 40 percent of New York City's total population; and immigrants compose over 40 percent of the city's workforce and are essential to our economic output and stability; and

Whereas, over 30 percent of Manhattan's residents are foreign-born and a number of the borough's community districts are majority foreign-born; and

Whereas, the City of New York and the nation as a whole could benefit from comprehensive immigration reform that does not divide families or create a climate of fear in immigrant neighborhoods; and

Whereas, immigration reform is an issue that transcends party affiliation and requires input from all elected officials; and

Whereas, an enforcement-only approach to immigration is ineffective, cruel and wasteful of Federal and State resources; and

Whereas, the Governor of Arizona, on April 23, 2010, signed into law Senate Bill 1070 which requires Arizona law enforcement to question and arrest individuals if there is a "reasonable suspicion" that they are in the country undocumented; and

Whereas, Arizona's new law promotes a policy of profiling and infringes on individual civil rights; and

Whereas, any such law in the State of New York would violate our basic notions of fairness, decency and justice; and

Whereas, such laws create a significant chilling effect on many communities' willingness to report crimes and cooperate with police and government overall, and criminals will be more free to prey on immigrant communities, diminishing public safety for citizens as well as non-citizens; and

Whereas, the New York State Senate adopted a resolution denouncing any policy of profiling in New York State and urging the federal government to denounce any similar state sanctioned immigration policy; and

Whereas, the New York State Assembly adopted a resolution denouncing Arizona's new immigration law;

Therefore be it resolved that the Manhattan Borough Board denounces the passage and signing into law of Arizona's Senate Bill 1070 and urges Arizona not to implement the law; and

Therefore be it further resolved that the Manhattan Borough Board applauds the passage of Senate Bill J5081 and Assembly Bill K01282 by the New York State Legislatures and encourages the adoption of federal comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens the family immigration system, protects human and civil rights and provides a meaningful path to citizenship.

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