Urging the United States Senate to oppose and defeat the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 drafted by US Representatives James Sensenbrenner and Peter King.

WHEREAS, The US House of Representatives passed H.R. 4437 on December 16, 2005 by a vote of 239-to-182. The bill is expected to reach the Senate in the coming month; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 4437 would make illegal immigrants felons and punishable by prison time if apprehended; and

WHEREAS, The bill contains provisions that deputize local law-enforcement officers to enforce federal law and round up illegal residents. It is estimated that there are10 million illegal immigrants currently living within the United States; and

WHEREAS, Under the bill’s section entitled, “Alien Smuggling and Related Offenses,” “alien smugglers” include employers, churches and charities who hire or help illegal immigrants; and

WHEREAS, The bill would make it a felony to shield or offer support to undocumented immigrants, even unknowingly; and

WHEREAS, The Sensenbrenner-King bill would increase fines against employers who hire illegal workers, in some cases by tens of thousand of dollars per violation; and

WHEREAS, Senator John McCain and Senator Edward Kennedy have drafted alternative legislation that would ultimately allow undocumented immigrants to become legal residents; and

WHEREAS, By not taking into consideration the economic contributions made by working illegal immigrants, the Sensenbrenner-King bill has the potential to hurt our national economy. Furthermore, the bill unreasonably targets US citizens who help or employ undocumented immigrants; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

That the City Council of Philadelphia does hereby urge the United States Senate to oppose and defeat the

Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act

of 2005

drafted by US Representatives James Sensenbrenner and Peter King.

End