Resolution To Advocate for Government Entities to use a More Appropriate Language for Undocumented Immigrants

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, President Obama in Press Conference of May 6, 2012 used a more appropriate label "undocumented" instead of "illegal", and "alien"

WHEREAS, the label illegal creates a general perception of criminality and hostility towards immigrants who lack documentation,

BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC advocate for all future references by federal, state and local governments to the subject of the legality of immigrants, use undocumented workers or undocumented immigrants; and LULAC to insist with media in the use of this terminology, with aim of changing the hostility and perception towards undocumented immigrants.

Approved this 30th day of June 2012.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President