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1997 SESSION

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977032607
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 307 Offered January 20, 1997 Memorializing the Congress of the United States to take appropriate steps to reimburse the states for the costs of services provided to illegal aliens. ---------- Patron-- Barry ---------- Referred to the Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, in addition to setting quotas for the number of immigrants who may enter this country legally, the federal government has the responsibility of maintaining the borders of the United States against illegal entry; and

WHEREAS, while illegal aliens are not entitled to assistance in the form of social services, states are required by federal statute or by court decisions to provide emergency medical care, education, nutrition programs, and incarceration for many undocumented aliens with little or no reimbursement from the federal government; and

WHEREAS, many states are being hit hard by budgetary cutbacks and are feeling the impact on state revenues and expenditures incurred by these federal mandates; and

WHEREAS, some states have tried unsuccessfully to use the legal system to recoup some of these expenses from the federal government; and

WHEREAS, although the federal government has been forthcoming with some funds to help with some of the costs, the amounts are negligible in comparison to the actual costs to the states; and

WHEREAS, the recent federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 addresses some issues of social assistance to aliens, but the financial impact is more addressed to immigrants who are here legally; and

WHEREAS, there appears to be a need for a better working relationship between the states and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services to identify those persons who are here illegally; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Congress of the United States be urged to honor its obligations to protect the U.S. borders, to expedite the removal of those who reside here illegally, and to reimburse the states for the costs of services provided to illegal aliens and their families; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation in order that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter.