California steps up efforts on cost of imprisoned illegal immigrants

9:53 AM | April 10, 2009

Fifteen years after Congress promised that Washington would help states pick up the tab for imprisoning illegal immigrants convicted of committing crimes, California is receiving but a fraction — less than 12 cents on the dollar — of its nearly $1-billion annual cost.

The unfulfilled promise is perhaps the most glaring example of the federal government shortchanging California. Officials from states heavily impacted by illegal immigration long have argued that their taxpayers should not have to bear the burden for Washington’s failure to control the border.

But Congress this year provided $400 million nationwide to cover the cost of keeping illegal immigrants behind bars — less than what was provided a decade ago. In that same period, California’s share of the federal money has declined from 68% to 39%.

“California’s percentage of the total amount gets smaller and smaller each year as the issue of criminal aliens becomes more of a national problem,â€