IV 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 29 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 9, 2011 Mr. Poe of Texas (for himself, Mr. Bilbray, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Jones, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Nugent, and Mr. Gingrey of Georgia) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that State and local governments should be supported for taking actions to discourage illegal immigration and that legislation should be enacted to ease the burden on State and local governments for taking such actions.

Whereas the Federal Government has failed to take adequate measures to curb illegal immigration; Whereas the failure by the Federal Government to curb illegal immigration has placed, and continues to place, a substantial burden on State and local government agencies to address illegal immigration; Whereas many State and local governments have actively worked to discourage illegal immigration and to assist in the enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States; Whereas such actions and assistance have come at great expense to State and local governments; Whereas numerous States’ governments have considered, or will soon consider legislation or placed initiatives and referendums on the ballot to enhance the ability of State and local agencies to discourage illegal immigration and to ease the burden placed on the States; Whereas, in July of 2010, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit seeking to enjoin and invalidate Arizona State law S.B. 1070; Whereas S.B. 1070 is legislation passed by the Arizona legislature to make it a State misdemeanor crime for an alien to be in Arizona without documentation proving that they are in the country legally, bar State or local officials or agencies from restricting enforcement of Federal immigration laws, and creating new State penalties for those sheltering, hiring, and transporting illegal aliens; Whereas numerous local governments have introduced, or will soon introduce, ordinances to enhance the ability of local governments to discourage illegal immigration, and to ease the burden placed on local governments; and Whereas State and local governments continue to be confronted with the issue of illegal immigration due to inaction on the issue by the Federal Government: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of Congress that— (1)State and local governments should be supported for taking actions to discourage illegal immigration; (2)current laws governing enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States should be enforced to the highest extent of the law; (3)the Department of Justice should not use taxpayer funds to sue States or local jurisdictions who are forced to pass their own immigration legislation due to a failure of the Federal government to act on the issue; and (4)Federal legislation to enhance border security and the enforcement of immigration laws should be passed quickly in order to ease the burden on State and local governments.