WHEREAS, the United States has incarcerated thousands of undocumented non U.S. citizens who have been convicted of committing a crime at the state and federal level; and

WHEREAS, because of existing federal laws governing the penalty for unlawful entry into the United States these criminal non U.S. citizens are now subject to automatic deportation upon completion of their incarceration in the U.S.; and

WHEREAS, many of the deportable criminal non U.S. citizens have lived in the United States since infancy when brought here by their parents; and

WHEREAS, many of these individuals will be repatriated to a country that is alien to them for which they lack the education and skills they will need to support themselves and therefore are more likely to attempt to unlawfully re-enter the United States;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the League of United Latin American Citizens calls upon the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to support educational programs for incarcerated undocumented immigrants that provide the skills development and job training necessary for the successful reintegration of these individuals into their countries of origin; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that LULAC strongly urges the Department of Justice and the Immigration and Naturalization service to meet with Mr. Percy Pitzer, Warden, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), California City Correctional Center to discuss the educational programs developed by the CCA and the possibility of expanding the programs to other correctional facilities.

Approved this 8th day of December, 2001.

Rick Dovalina
LULAC National President