Bill Text: IL SR1913 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Shows support for the Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act and urges the members of the United States Congress to pass H.R. 5012.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-05-31 - Resolution Adopted [SR1913 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-SR1913-Introduced.html

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SR1913 LRB099 21955 GRL 48970 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, There are a significant number of non-citizen
veterans of foreign wars, including World War II, the Korean
War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the
Afghanistan War, who have been removed from the United States;
and
WHEREAS, When these veterans returned to civilian life
without appropriate support in reintegration, both
psychologically and economically, they fell into addictions
and criminal activities, were arrested and, due to their
non-citizen resident status, were deported; and
WHEREAS, Many of these veterans live in terrible and abject
conditions after having served in the Armed Forces of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Several of these veterans have asked for support
in obtaining reentry into the United States to be with their
families and United States citizen children; and
WHEREAS, Non-citizens compose a significant portion of the
Armed Forces, enlisting more than 8,000 persons annually; and
WHEREAS, According to the Department of Defense, more than

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65,000 non-citizen immigrants were serving in the United States
Armed Forces as of 2008, accounting for at least 5% of the
total active-duty personnel; and
WHEREAS, The Immigration Reform Act of 1996 broadened the
criteria for removable offenses to include shoplifting,
misdemeanor drug offenses, and other minor offenses, allowing
the Department of Homeland Security to quietly deport veterans
who have fallen on hard times; and
WHEREAS, According to Banished Veterans, a support group
for deported veterans, there are currently 3,000 veterans in
immigration detention centers or in removal proceedings at any
given time; and
WHEREAS, Veterans that have been deported do not have
access to Veterans Affairs benefits or other benefits designed
for veterans; and
WHEREAS, The nation owes these veterans adequate support
and rehabilitation equal to that of veterans with full
citizenship; and
WHEREAS, After having served time for their crimes in the
criminal justice system, non-citizen veterans are almost
immediately dropped at the doorsteps of their country of birth

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with no resources, no contacts and, at times, no knowledge of
the language, resulting in compounded punishment; and
WHEREAS, These valiant veterans are solely allowed reentry
into the United States posthumously for their burial in a
United States military cemetery; and
WHEREAS, Members of the United States Congress are calling
for an end to the deportation of non-citizen military veterans
and United States Representative Ruben Gallego has introduced
H.R. 5012, the Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in
Uniform Act; and
WHEREAS, The Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in
Uniform Act urges the Department of Homeland Security to
readmit veterans who have been deported and have not committed
a serious crime, therefore reuniting deported veterans with
their families; and
WHEREAS, The Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in
Uniform Act prevents the deportation of veterans who have
served in the military at least six months and have not
committed a felony or significant misdemeanor; and
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes the importance
and need for equitable treatment of veterans; therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support the
Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act and urge
the members of the United States Congress to pass H.R. 5012;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional
delegation.