Border state lawmakers protest budget cut
San Antonio Express-News
Monday, May 11, 2009


By: Gary Martin

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators moved Friday to block President Barack Obama's budget cut of a program that reimburses states for jailing undocumented immigrants.

The president proposed slashing the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which last year provided $118 million for California and more than $50 million for Texas to jail undocumented immigrants on charges other than immigration violations.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said it was outrageous that the administration would seek to cut the program.

"Not only does this disproportionately affect border states, but for every dollar less that SCAAP reimburses states, a dollar less is available for critical public safety services in the affected communities," Hutchison said.

The $400 million SCAAP program was one of several proposed cuts in Obama's $3.4 trillion budget blueprint.

Hutchison and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, joined Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., in sending a letter to Senate leaders requesting the funding remain in final appropriation bills.

"Immigration is a total federal responsibility," Feinstein said.

Although California received $118 million in SCAAP funds in 2008, Feinstein said the amount was only 12 percent of the actual incurred costs.

Texas, its counties and cities, received about $50 million in reimbursement, with Bexar County getting $308,000; Cameron County, $469,127; Webb County $128,149; and Hidalgo County, $474,146.

Cornyn said eliminating the SCAAP reimbursement "creates an unfunded mandate."

He said state and local law enforcement in Texas must continue to enforce the laws against criminal aliens who are victimizing their own immigrant communities, as well as Texans in general.

Similar efforts to cut the program by President George W. Bush were rebuffed by Congress.

http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.c ... 54a3fd3d25