Since the 2016 presidential election the movement within California to secede from the Union is growing rapidly. Millions of Californians have shown their support for secession. If the United States allows California to secede to form an independent country few doubt that it will quickly fill with undocumented aliens that will overtax its resources and cause flow into the United States in even greater numbers than we now contend with on our border with Mexico. This is a problem because an independent country of California would share a 900 mile land border with the U.S. that we would then have to secure.

This petition seeks a compromise. If Californians do not wish to remain part of the Union we should redefine California as a non-voting territory of the United States. Like Guam and Puerto Rico, Californians would remain citizens but be relieved of participation in the federal election process and forfeit voting representation in both houses of Congress except for a single non-voting representative. This arrangement would give them a more independent home-rule and allow them to form a more unique Californian culture while relieving them of participating in the democratic process for America. Lastly, the United States would still be responsible for protecting California's border with Mexico and avoid the extra burden of security 900 additional land miles of foreign border would bring.