Hurting fight vs. illegals?
AG: Proposed cut could make it harder to curb illegal immigration
Peter Marcus
Monday, May 11, 2009







The Colorado attorney general is concerned that a proposal by the Obama administration to cut a federal program would put a crimp in the state’s ability to curb illegal immigration.

Republican Attorney General John Suthers on Friday criticized President Obama’s proposal last week to eliminate the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. The cut would be part of a package of about $17 billion Obama has proposed cut from the $3.4 trillion 2010 federal budget.

The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program provides money to states to help defray the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants who commit crimes. Cutting the program would save the nation about $400 million.

Colorado spent more than $44.9 million in 2006 to incarcerate illegal immigrants, said Suthers’ office. The state that year only received $3.3 million in reimbursement from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.

“The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program deserves to be better funded, not cut,â€