WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has been a hub of immigration, and is one of many American cities that recognizes and honors its diverse immigrant populations for their cultural, social, and economic contributions, and;
WHEREAS,
The current United States immigration system is broken and countless people are lost in the immigration system, and has led to the exploitation of many immigrant communities in the City of Philadelphia and beyond, and;
WHEREAS,
The deficiencies of the United States immigration system have fostered a sense of divisiveness and fear throughout immigrant communities in The City of Philadelphia, and throughout the Country, and;
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia remains steadfast in its support for reforming our nation's immigration system, so that it truly provides equal opportunities to all who have come here in order to pursue the age old dream of a better life, and;
WHEREAS, The City Council of Philadelphia calls upon the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to work towards achieving comprehensive immigration reform that honors the American value of encouraging and providing the opportunity for legal immigration to the United States, and upholds the timeless words inscribed upon our Nation's Statue of Liberty that have welcomed immigrants into our great country for generations: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia recognizes and honors its diverse immigrant communities and history, and further calls on the Untied States Congress to swiftly and comprehensively rectify the faults of nation's immigration system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to all members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation.
End