RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 1379 (GUTIERREZ), CITIZENSHIP PROMOTION ACT OF 2007

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service proposes to increase the fee for citizenship applications from $330 to $595 to recover costs associated with the citizenship application process; and

WHEREAS, such fee increases could bar some legal permanent residents, particularly the poor, from applying for citizenship; and

WHEREAS, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service also proposes to require all applications to be filed electronically in an effort to increase efficiency; and

WHEREAS, such a requirement could prevent those applicants without access to the Internet or the skills needed to access the Internet from applying for citizenship; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 1379 would prevent the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service from increasing the naturalization fee until it has reported to Congress the direct and indirect costs of providing relevant immigration services and the justification for a proposed fee increase; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 1379 would appropriate the difference in funds between the amount of fees currently collected and the actual cost of providing services; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 1379 would also prohibit the exclusive use of electronic filing of permanent residence or citizenship applications; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 1379 would also require generally the Attorney General to complete background checks within 90 days and establish an $80 million citizenship promotion program intended to assist legal permanent residents in becoming citizens;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by adoption of this resolution supports H.R. 1379 (Gutierrez), Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007.

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