FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2009
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Sadosky
Sen. Hutchison Urges Increased Funding for State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Texas’ senior Senator, sent a letter urging key lawmakers to include funding in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.
Sen. Hutchison is Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and also serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. She joined with Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) to lead a letter to Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Richard Shelby, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee.
The letter read:
“We write to request that you include in the Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill at least the $400 million appropriated in Fiscal year 2009 for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), and up to $950 million, the level authorized for Fiscal Year 2010 by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162).
“Understanding the expenses that states and localities bear for the federal immigration system, Congress enacted the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) in 1994 to help reimburse States and localities for costs already spent on incarcerating criminal aliens. However, the funding for this program has been severely underfunded and only partially restored by Congress over the past decade.
“For every dollar less that SCAAP reimburses states, a dollar less is available for critical public safety services. After the SCAAP funding cuts in 2003, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department implemented an “early release” policy for prisoners convicted of misdemeanors. We can no longer afford to let our public safety services crumble under the weight of our immigration policies.
“While the President’ Budget does not include any funding for SCAAP, border protection and enforcement of immigration laws remains a federal responsibility. We will continue to make our case to the new Administration that SCAAP is an important component of the Department of Justice’s support of state and local law enforcement.
“We appreciate the Committee’s commitment to this critical program during consideration of the Fiscal Year 2009 bill and look forward to improving upon last year’s efforts.”
Also signing the letter with Sens. Feinstein and Hutchison were Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), John Cornyn (R-TX), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Mike Crapo (R-ID).
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