WHEREAS, the League of United Latin American Citizens is this nation's oldest and largest Latino organization, founded in Corpus Christi, Texas on February 24, 1929; and

WHEREAS, LULAC throughout its history has committed itself to the principle that Latinos have equal access to opportunities in employment, education, housing, and health care, and

WHEREAS, LULAC has supported the principal of equal opportunities for economic development, political influence, civil rights, and the general welfare for all Latinos in the United States, and

WHEREAS, we just recently buried 14 Mexican Nationals who lost their lives in the Arizona desert near Yuma. We also know that many more will die this summer unless we continue to fight to change immigration policies, and

WHEREAS, we must continue to ask Mexico and the United States to continue their partnership to find solutions to this issue. Work towards giving legal status to longtime undocumented residents and adopt a viable guest laborer program, and

WHEREAS, our countries must agree to work on the protection and defense of all individuals of Mexican descent working towards the establishment of a network of legal assistance to protect labor, civil and human rights of all Mexicans and Mexican Americans, and

WHEREAS, the development of capital creation and social projects to benefit communities of origin, such as the 90 micro-regions defined by the Government of Mexico, and

WHEREAS, we must work to strengthen the promotion of health programs, working in the prevention of diseases infections and non-access to quality health care and attention to the health needs, both physical and mental of Mexican and Mexican American communities, and

WHEREAS, the promotion of education through the exchange of education through the exchange of resources, including teachers and technology, access to state of the art research, student exchanges, the maintenance of culture, tradition and language, and

WHEREAS, we must also provide resources toward investigating and finding those individuals (smugglers) who purposely lead our people out into the desert to die, and

WHEREAS, our people have suffered and are suffering but we must continue to work together and push for change and a better tomorrow, and

WHEREAS, we applaud the Mexican Government for their efforts regarding the survival kits and we commit that we will continue to advocate finding long term solutions to this issue.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the 72nd National Convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens convened in Phoenix, AZ on June 3-9, 2001, immediately support the creation of a commission to come together with representatives from both sides of the border to put together a five-year strategic plan to the migration of immigrants.

Submitted by:
Richard G. Fimbres,
National VP for the Far West

Approved this 9th day of June, 2001.

Rick Dovalina
LULAC National President