Los Angeles, August 30, 2007…..Assembly Joint Resolution 16, authored by Assembly Member Lloyd Levine (D-Los Angeles) based on the Anti-Defamation League's Declaration of Los Angeles, overwhelmingly passed the California State Senate after having been adopted by the State Assembly on June 7.

The passage in the State Senate means that the Resolution will be chaptered by the Secretary of State and sent to the President and Vice President of the U.S., the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in Congress.

The Resolution calls upon federal, state and local government officials to recognize basic human rights and denounce all forms of xenophobia and racism when considering immigration policies.

Calling it "of utmost importance to unite against hatred and victimization aimed at people who migrate to this country," ADL Regional Director Amanda Susskind praised the legislature for taking a stand to secure human rights for immigrants.  "Without negating the need for safe and secure borders, nor aligning ourselves with partisan politics on the issue, ADL stands strong in the desire to support basic human rights and fair treatment of immigrants."

ADL initiated this project, first bringing it to the Los Angeles City Council where it passed unanimously in December, 2006, and then to the California State Legislature.  "This initiative combines ADL's support for secure borders and our work monitoring extremism with our great tradition of standing up for human dignity and human rights," said Susskind.  "In this way, ADL is uniquely positioned to fight bigotry and protect our democratic ideals."

The resolution was an initiative of the ADL Latino Jewish Roundtable, International Affairs Committee and Regional Board of the ADL. 

In addition to the Anti-Defamation League, other Los Angeles-area signatories to the original Declaration were:  ACLU of Southern California, American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Gay and Lesbian Center Legal Services Department, Korean American Coalition,  LA Center for Law and Justice, League of United Latin American Citizens, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Council of Jewish Women Los Angeles Section,  Progressive Jewish Alliance, Public Counsel Law Center, South Asian Network and Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.