Dreamers of America Freedom and Liberty Declaration

WHEREAS, LULAC supports Freedom and Liberty as values of the United States of America, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports leading on this issue by urging both parties to work together in crafting a bipartisan bill on immigration and border security that encompasses America’s values and our national history of welcoming immigrants, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports immigration reform as vital to the lifeblood for the present and future vibrancy and well-being of the United States by providing the human talent, labor, innovation, economic revenue and taxation necessary to ensure the longevity of this democracy, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports security at all our nation’s borders and points of entry that ensures the safety of all residents within the United States and respects the rightful sovereignty of our country to protect itself from any foreign threat or enemy and opposes open borders and illegal immigration, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports a bipartisan solution to the present immigration impasse that champions freedom and liberty for all men, women and children in the United States who wish to become part of the American family, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports a nation free from fear for those who arrived here as minors with parents or other adults who were undocumented and through no fault of their own now live with daily uncertainty of being detained, incarcerated or deported, and

WHEREAS, LULAC supports the fundamental spirit of our nation’s human rights history of aiding refugees fleeing natural disasters, civil conflicts, violence and unbridled persecution such as TPS recipients from Central America, the Caribbean and other nations,

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that henceforth, immigration reform must be viewed and acted upon immediately as part of our country’s national interest and must be absent of partisan political agendas by any party or elected official, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that an enduring solution to immigration must include Dreamers (DACA), the parents of Dreamers (DAPA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients whose lives reflect respect for the laws of their communities, responsible employment and payment of taxes, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that legalization for qualified immigrants must also include a criminal background check, payment of a reasonable fine, applying under a new legal process with a pathway to legalization and citizenship after 5 years of legal residency, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that a $25-billion Marshall Plan for Central America should be part of a comprehensive immigration solution to assist in promoting democracy, rebuilding their economies, deal with criminal and gang violence and deter unauthorized migration to the United States, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that $10-billion is needed immediately along the U.S. border with Mexico for urgent humanitarian aid to include physical and mental health services and we call for bipartisan support in Congress to make this assistance a legislative priority, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that separate application centers for refugees must be established in countries where they are presently residing temporarily to alleviate dangerous travel and unauthorized entry into the United States, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that increased federal funds for borders and ports of entry into the United States should emphasize increase in properly trained staff to review initial asylum claims, technology and a virtual barrier that focuses on intercepting the flow of illegal drugs and human trafficking, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LULAC and Dreamers of America declare that in-state College and University tuition for DACA students should be mandated by federal statute throughout the entire United States as an investment in the future of our nation leading to better jobs and incomes that sustain the tax revenue of our government.

THIS RESOLUTION ENTITLED “DREAMERS OF AMERICA FREEDOM & LIBERTY DECLARATION” HAVING BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE AND VOTED UPON BY THIS BODY, THE 2019 DREAMER SUMMIT HELD IN DALLAS, TEXAS, IS HEREBY PASSED BY A MAJORITY OF DELEGATES, THE UNDERSIGNED, ON THIS DATE, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2019 FOR FORMAL PRESENTATION TO THE LULAC NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND UPON PASSAGE FROM THIS BODY WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.