SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
1997 SESSION
977032607WHEREAS, 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. United States ] 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 take appropriate steps to reimburse the states for the costs of services provided to illegal aliens; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Congress be urged ] to honor its obligations to
protect the [ U.S. borders, United States borders and ] 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 FINALLY ] , 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.