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SENATE MEMORIAL 17-001 BY SENATOR(S) Crowder, Aguilar, Baumgardner, Cooke, Coram, Court, Donovan,Fenberg,Fields,Garcia,Gardner,Guzman,Hill,Holbert,Jahn,Jones, Kagan, Kefalas, Kerr, Lambert, Lundberg, Marble, Martinez Humenik, Merrifield, Moreno, Neville T., Priola, Scott, Smallwood, Sonnenberg, Tate, Todd, Williams A., Zenzinger, Granth.m MEMORIALIZINGTHEPRESIDENTOFTHEUNITEDSTATES TO SUPPORT VETERANS WHO HONORABLY SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.
First Regular Session Seventy-first General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO ENGROSSED LLS NO.
WHEREAS, Veterans of the United States military are not always citizens, some are legal residents of the United States;
M17-0516.01 Jery Payne SM17-001 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Crowder, Senate Committees SENATE MEMORIAL 17-001 M EMORIALIZINGTHEPRESIDENTOFTHE U NITED STATESTOSUPPORT VETERANS WHO HONORABLY SERVED IN THE U NITED S TATES MILITARY .
and WHEREAS,ManyveteransfoughtfortheUnitedStatesintheUnited States military during World War II, the Korean war, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and Iraq as well as other conflicts, and many of these veterans served with honor and distinction;
WHEREAS,VeteransoftheUnitedStatesmilitaryarenotalways citizens, some are legal residents of the United States;
and WHEREAS,Over500,000foreign-bornveteransoftheUnitedStates military resided in the United States in 2016;
and WHEREAS, Many veterans fought for the United States in the United States military during World War II, the Korean war, Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and Iraq as well as other conflicts, and many of these veterans served with honor and distinction;
and WHEREAS, According to department of defense data, more than 65,000immigrants born outside the United Stateswereservingonactive duty in 2008, and this represents approximately 5% of all active-duty personnel;
and WHEREAS, Over 500,000 foreign-born veterans of the United States military resided in the United States in 2016;
and WHEREAS, Each year, around 8,000 noncitizens enlist in the military;
and WHEREAS, According to department of defense data, more than 65,000 immigrantsbornoutsidetheUnitedStates were serving on active duty in 2008, and this represents approximately 5% of all active-duty personnel;
and WHEREAS, Over 4% of all military casualties between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2013, were foreign-born service members;
and g 7 WHEREAS, Each year, around 8,000 noncitizens enlist in the E d 2 A e 7 N l h Shading denotes HOUSE amendment.
and WHEREAS, Some of these veterans, of whom most are honorably discharged, and in some cases decorated, have received deportation notices from the Department of Homeland Security because of old or minor misdemeanor records, including those that predate their military service;
Double underlining denotes SENATE amendSeitr Capital letters indicate new material to be added to existing statuteF M Dashes through the words indicate deletions from existing statute.
and WHEREAS, President Bill Clinton signed the "Illegal Immigration ReformandImmigrant ResponsibilityActof 1996",whichincreasedthe list of misdemeanor crimes that could result in deportation of a legal resident;
military;
and WHEREAS,About3,000militaryveteranshavebeendeportedunder the law since it passed twenty years ago;
and WHEREAS,Over4%ofallmilitarycasualtiesbetweenSeptember 11, 2001, and December 31, 2013, were foreign-born service members;
and WHEREAS, The fact that a legal resident of the United States has honorably served in the United States military is not taken into account when determining whether to deport a legal resident for a misdemeanor;
and WHEREAS,Someoftheseveterans,ofwhommostarehonorably discharged, and in some cases decorated, have received deportation notices from the Department of Homeland Security because of old or minor misdemeanor records, including those that predate their military service;
and WHEREAS,PresidentBillClintonsignedthe"IllegalImmigration ReformandImmigrantResponsibilityAct of 1996",whichincreasedthe list of misdemeanor crimes that could result in deportation of a legal resident;
and WHEREAS, About 3,000 military veterans have been deported under the law since it passed twenty years ago;
and WHEREAS,Thefactthatalegalresidentof theUnitedStateshas honorably served in the United States military is not taken into account when determining whether to deport a legal resident for a misdemeanor;
now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-first General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
now, therefore, BeItResolvedbytheSenateoftheSeventy-firstGeneralAssembly of the State of Colorado:
(1) Hereby declare our support for addressing this situation in a way that recognizes the sacrifices made byveterans and honors their service;
(1) Hereby declare our support for addressing this situation in a way that recognizes the sacrifices made by veterans and honors their service;
(2) Recognize the need to uphold our nation's values and the high standards for our citizens and immigrant population;
(2) Recognize the need toupholdournation'svaluesandthehigh standards for our citizens and immigrant population;
(3) Recognize that the criminal justice system, particularly veterans' courts, have moved on a path toward restorative justice;
(3) Recognize that the criminal justice system, particularly -2- 001 veterans' courts, have moved on a path toward restorative justice;
(4) Urge that misdemeanor convictions for acts that are not crimes against persons or violent misdemeanors, and particularly misdemeanor PAGE 2-SENATE MEMORIAL 17-001 convictions for which an honorably discharged veteran has participated inarestorativejusticeprogram,shouldbeexcusedinevaluatingwhether to deport an honorably discharged veteran who is a legal resident;
(4) Urgethatmisdemeanorconvictionsforactsthatarenotcrimes against persons or violent misdemeanors, and particularly misdemeanor convictions for which an honorably discharged veteran has participated inarestorativejusticeprogram,shouldbeexcusedinevaluatingwhether to deport an honorably discharged veteran who is a legal resident;
Trump, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security adopt protocols to thoroughly evaluate, based on the above considerations and on a case-by-casebasis,honorablydischargedveteranswhoarelegalresidents andhaveoldorminormisdemeanor offensesbeforemakingthedecision to deport them.
Trump, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security adopt protocols to thoroughly evaluate, based on the above considerations and on a case-by-case basis, honorably discharged veterans who are legal residentsandhaveoldorminormisdemeanoroffensesbeforemakingthe decision to deport them.
____________________________ ____________________________ Kevin Grantham Effie Ameen PRESIDENT OF SECRETARY OF THE SENATE THE SENATE PAGE 3-SENATE MEMORIAL 17-001
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