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Council resolution deals with illegal immigration

By CINDY BARKS
The Daily Courier

Monday, November 20, 2006


PRESCOTT* In the wake of the overwhelming approval of several state immigration-related propositions earlier this month, the City of Prescott will weigh in on the issue this week.

At its regular study session at 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Prescott City Council will consider a resolution that urges the federal government to "move expeditiously to seal our borders against this flood of illegal immigrants, criminals and terrorists, and to employ all practical and legal measures required to achieve this endŠ"

The three-page resolution lists more than a dozen reasons for the action, including:

• "Whereas, in the last 10 or more years, the Immigration Act has not been strongly enforced and literally millions of individuals have come into our county in flagrant violationŠ"

• "Whereas, the citizens of Prescott are worried and concerned about the impact of illegal aliens on our national security, our national, state and local crime rates, the increasing illicit drug trade, as well as the negative impacts on property values, public schools, hospitals, taxes, and welfare costsŠ"

• "Since 2001, our city has experienced homicides, aggravated assaults, rapes, burglaries, drug sales and trafficking directly attributable to illegal aliensŠ"

The resolution also mentions that polls repeatedly show that citizens "strongly support reform of this country's immigration policy."

Laurie Hadley, Prescott's assistant to the city manager, noted on Friday that the city resolution stems, in part, from the Nov. 7 approval of four state propositions that deal with immigration issues, such as availability of public programs to illegal immigrants.

"Especially in light of the propositions," Hadley said, some council members "feel like the voters have made a very strong statement."

A memo for the council from City Attorney Gary Kidd stated: "Over the past six months, (Police) Chief (Randy) Oaks and I have met with members of the council, each of whom has expressed concerns regarding the issues of illegal immigration, including the burdens our community faces with the increases in undocumented, illegal aliens."