Posted on 02/08/2005 9:39:14 PM PST by NormsRevenge
PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano has billed the federal government for nearly $118 million in unreimbursed costs for imprisoning criminal illegal immigrants.
If the federal government doesn't pay, it should take custody of approximately 3,600 illegal immigrants in state prisons, Napolitano said in a letter sent last week to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
"This is just wrong," Napolitano said in a statement Tuesday. "Arizona has held up its end of the bargain, and has taken these criminals off the streets. Yet the federal government has abandoned its job by refusing to pay for them."
Justice Department spokesman Eric Holland in Washington said department officials were reviewing Napolitano's letter.
The Democratic governor released the letter - and copies of invoices sent with it - one day after President Bush proposed eliminating funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which received $297 million last year. The program was launched in the mid-1990s to reimburse state and local jurisdictions for costs related to incarcerating criminal illegal immigrants.
The governor's spokeswoman, Jeanine L'Ecuyer, said Napolitano was distressed by Bush's proposal.
"We're going from very little to nothing," L'Ecuyer said.
Bush's proposed budget doesn't seek money for the assistance program because an Office of Management and Budget review concluded the program couldn't demonstrate results, Justice Department spokesman John Nowacki said from Washington.
Congress has resisted similar proposals by the president in previous years. Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona announced last week that he and 13 other lawmakers have introduced legislation to fund the program.
Hey Nappy... So bus 'em back to the border and deport 'em. Show some initiative for a change, or would that upset your constituents and brain dead supporters?
Gov Butch should rethink her push to allow illegals to obtain driver's licenses.
Yet she was against Prop 200..gawd I can't wait to vote her out in '06!
AZ is doing what many of us would like to see done. Maybe then the feds would know we mean business. It will NEVER work in NM because of Bill Richardson. He*s cuddled up with Vicente Fox and he*s giving illegals driver*s licenses in NM without making them have a Social Security card.
AZ is prohibited by the federal constitution from taking any actions regarding immigration. Why they waste their time is beyond me. The Supreme Court or Federal Court of Appeals will smack them down like a crying baby.
I thought she loved illegals and welcomes them despite what her constituents want. Why doesn't she do something to stop the invasion instead of wanting money to subsidize it?
I think another former Governor made this statement..."Said Gov. Bush in 1995 while suing Washington for $5 billion: 'If the federal government cannot do its job of enforcing the borders, then it owes the states monies to pay for its failure.'
Wonder what changed his mind? Why does he enforce the failure he spoke of in 1995?
And just why do we keep them? Tag 'em and send them back--or perhaps we should send them to Cuba. A return for past favors from Fidel.
Erect a fence and set up signs all along the border saying that trespassers will be shot, no questions asked, then order the National Guard along the border and enforce the signs.
I say the Governor should put the national guard on the borders, round up the illegals and put them on buses to Crawford, TX.
If Bush loves them so much, let them stay and work on his ranch.
Agreed.
Some small acreage of land out in the middle of the desert might also need to be purchased, though, what with the way the illegals have been trespassing against the border land owners, I'm sure you could find one who'd gladly donate some land.
She is doing it to look good. It won't go anywhere, but she confuses the conservatives for a while.
You need to read the last paragraph where it says that Congress resisted in previous years.
Yes, I realize that Congress resisted it. My question is why hasn't the Bush administration pushed for congress to address the issue. It seems rather hypocritical on the part of the President not to push for a reimbursement bill. Suddenly it's not important simply because Bush is President and not Govenor?
I suggest the question is: If he knows that he will not get the money, should he politically posture himself by asking for it?
It is the same question over the new BP agents. He knows that Congress is not going to appropriate it.
I have a better idea. How bout if we send corrupt ass Mexico the bill???
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