CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO PROTECT FAMILIES FROM SEPARATION
THROUGH DEPORTATION.
WHEREAS, the city of Chicago is a city of immigrants, with a long history of contributions to the fabric of the society; and
WHEREAS, Immigrants historically have generated economic growth in Chicago by working, saving and establishing businesses, and have also made great contributions to Chicago's cultural development and to a democratic society; and
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago is the first Sanctuary City in the nation, declared by Mayor Harold Washington in 1983 and subsequently renewed by Mayor Richard Daley and by Mayor Rahm Emanuel; and
WHEREAS, under a broken federal immigration system caused by congressional gridlock, deportations have reached record levels under President Obama, rising to an annual average of nearly 400,000 since 2009; and
WHEREAS, According to U.S. Representatives Raul M. Grijalva, Yvette Clarke, and Luis Gutierrez, although the Obama Administration is prioritizing to deport only criminals, many individuals with no criminal history have been deported; and
WHEREAS, Increased deportations and a continuation of our broken immigration system exacerbate the living conditions of U.S. citizen children whose parents have been deported; and
WHEREAS, Separation of children from their parents, for any reason and irrespective of immigration status, results in severe consequences for young children who are left with no parental guidance or care and a highly unstable financial situation; and
WHEREAS, Immigration continues to be at the center of national debate. President Obama and Congress must implement a more humanitarian immigration policy that keeps families together and respects the right of all workers to support their families; and
WHEREAS, Several members of Congress recently signed a letter requesting that President Obama suspend further deportations and extend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; and
WHEREAS, Children and their fam...
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