BILL NUMBER: SJR 21	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senators Dunn, Cedillo, Escutia, and Romero
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Nunez)

                        AUGUST 19, 2003

   Senate Joint Resolution No. 21--Relative to persons of Mexican
descent.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 21, as introduced, Dunn.  Persons of Mexican descent.
   This measure would request the Congress of the United States to
establish a factfinding commission to determine whether the federal
government committed a wrong against those American citizens and
permanent resident aliens of Mexican descent who were deported or
coerced to emigrate during the 1930s and to recommend appropriate
remedies.
   Fiscal committee:  no.




   WHEREAS, In the early 1930s, the United States government, in
close cooperation with states, cities, counties, and certain private
sector entities, undertook an aggressive program to forcibly remove
persons of Mexican descent from the United States; and
   WHEREAS, Throughout the United States, authorities conducted
massive raids on Mexican communities, resulting in clandestine
deportation sweeps; and
   WHEREAS, These raids also had the effect of coercing thousands of
people to leave the country "voluntarily" in the face of threats and
acts of violence; and
   WHEREAS, These raids indiscriminately targeted persons of Mexican
descent, with authorities characterizing these persons as "illegal
aliens" regardless of whether they were citizens or permanent legal
residents; and
   WHEREAS, Local authorities, with the knowledge and assistance of
the federal government, instituted programs to facilitate the
wrongful deportation of persons of Mexican descent and secured
transportation arrangements with railroads, ships, and airlines to
effectuate the wholesale removal of tens of thousands of persons of
Mexican descent to the Mexican border; and
   WHEREAS, As a result of these wrongful deportation activities,
families were forced to abandon, or were defrauded out of, personal
and real property, which often was subsequently disposed of by local
authorities as "payment" for the transportation expenses incident to
their removal to Mexico; and
   WHEREAS, As a further result of these wrongful deportation
activities, United States citizens were separated from their
families, friends, and country and were deprived of their livelihood,
educational opportunities, adequate medical care, and the right to
participate in the political process as guaranteed to all citizens,
thereby resulting in the tragic denial of due process and equal
protection of the laws; and
   WHEREAS, It is estimated that approximately 2 million people were
forcibly relocated to Mexico, including approximately 1.2 million
children who had been born in the United States and were legally
American citizens; and
   WHEREAS, No inquiry into this matter has been conducted; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved, by the Senate and Assembly of the State of California,
jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully
requests the Congress of the United States to establish a
factfinding commission to determine whether the federal government
committed a wrong against those American citizens and permanent
resident aliens of Mexican descent who were deported or coerced to
emigrate during the 1930s and to recommend appropriate remedies; and
be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Governor, the President and Vice President of the
United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and each Senator and Representative
from California in the United States Congress.