Bipartisan Amendment Restores Funding for Illegal Alien Incarceration

Washington, D.C., Jul 12, 2007 -  

House Conference Secretary John Carter (TX-31), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, was able to amend the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Science funding bill in committee to add $30 million for reimbursing state and local governments for costs associated with incarcerating criminal aliens.

“We have an immigration crises in America, and I have long fought for strong immigration reform that stops the flow of illegal aliens entering this country,” said Carter. “But, until we can secure the borders, the least we can do is to reimburse state and local governments for the cost of incarcerating criminal aliens.”

Carter worked with Congressman Michael Honda (D-CA) to craft an amendment to the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill to add $30 million to the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). SCAAP provides federal reimbursement to state and local governments for the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. The Committee recommendation for FY2008 was $375 million, a $25 million decrease from FY2007. Carter’s amendment increased funding by $30 million, for a total of $405 million—a $5 million increase over FY2007.

State governors consider this funding necessary to compensate them for the federal government’s failure to secure the borders. In fact, 11 Governors signed a letter to President Bush last November asking for increased funding.

The Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives in the next two weeks.