December 5, 2007 Morristown City Council Illegal Immigration Resolution #2 (Federal)

Yesterday, Morristown City Council passed an illegal immigration resolution to send to Sen. Lamar Alexander, Sen. Bob Corker, and Rep. David Davis, requesting a Memorandum of Understanding to allow local officers to be trained "to perform a function of an immigration officer" in connection with the investigation and apprehension of illegal aliens.

[NOTE: See the previous post for the text of the Council's resolution that will be sent to State Rep. John Litz and State Sen. Steve Southerland]

RESOLUTION TO BE SENT TO SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER, SEN. BOB CORKER, REP. DAVID DAVIS

RESOLUTION NO. ______________

BEING a resolution of the City Council for the City of Morristown, Tennessee, petitioning its members of Congress for assistance in dealing with illegal immigration.

WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Morristown, Tennessee, after due consideration, makes the following findings:

1. A significant and growing population of persons reside in, are employed in, or otherwise frequent the City, who have come to, entered or remained in the United States in violation of Federal Immigration Law.

2. The City has finite resources with which to provide public services to its citizens.

3. It is desirable to secure to those lawfully present in the United States and the City, regardless of their status as citizens, the right to live in peace, free of the threat of crime, and to enjoy the public services provided by the City without being burdened by the costs of providing goods, support and services to aliens unlawfully present in the United States and the City to the extent these goals can be achieved consistently with the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Tennessee.

4. The increasing population of illegal aliens has compromised City and other local resources to provide essential and desirable public services to the citizens of the community, including medical services, law enforcement and public assistance.

5. The unlawful employment, the harboring of illegal ailens in dwelling units in the City of Morristown, and crime committed by illegal aliens harm the health, safety and welfare of authorized United States workers and legal residents in the City of Morristown. Illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, subjects our hospitals to fiscal hardship and legal residents to substandard quality of care, contributes to other burdensome public services, increasing their costs and diminishing their availability to legal residents, and diminishes the overall quality of life within the City.

6. Title 8, sub-section 1324 (a) (1) (A) United States Code prohibits the harboring of illegal aliens. The provision of housing to illegal aliens is a fundamental component of harboring.

7. Title 8, sub-section 1324a(a)(1) United States Code prohibits employment or referral of employment for a fee of unauthorized aliens.

8. Harboring through provision of housing to and employing illegal aliens greatly contributes to the growth of the population of illegal aliens within the City of Morristown and the surrounding community.

9. Title 8, sub-section 1324a(h)(2) United States Code preempts any State or local law imposing civil or criminal sanctions (other than through licensing and similar laws) upon those who employ, or recruit or refer for a fee for employment, unauthorized aliens.

10. Title 8, sub-section 1357(g) United States Code authorizes the United States Attorney General to enter into a written agreement (memorandum of understanding) with a State or any political subdivision of a State, pursuant to which an officer or employee of the State or subdivision, who is determined by the Attorney General to be qualified to perform a function of an immigration officer in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens in the United States (including the transportation of such aliens across State lines to detention centers), may carry out such function at the expense of the State or political subdivision and to the extent consistent with the State and local law.

WHEREAS, Federal enforcement of the Immigration laws has failed to effectively regulate illegal immigration within the City of Morristown and surrounding community; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council for the City of Morristown, Tennessee, that this local governing body urges its members of Congress to take those measures necessary and reasonable to insure statutorily mandated regulation of illegal immigration within the United States.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the governing body requests the assistance of its members of Congress in implementing a memorandum of understanding between the City of Morristown and the United States Attorney General pursuant to Title 8, sub-section 1357(g) United States Code.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this Resolution be forewarded to the Honorable David Davis, U.S. House of Representatives, Honorable Lamar Alexander, U.S. Senate, and the Honorable Bob Corker, U.S. Senate.

Passed in Regular Session of City Council this ____ day ofDecember, 2007.
CITY OF MORRISTOWN, TENNESSEE

BY: ___________________________________ MAYOR
ATTEST:_____________________________________