President against paying states for illegal immigration

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin ^ | 02-12-06 | Editorial Staff

[Amerigomag]

It’s amazing that President Bush continues to pretend the federal government has no responsibility for illegal immigration and its effects. The 2007 federal budget he presented proposes killing the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program that helps states pay for jailing illegal immigrants.

That’s nothing new. Bush has done the same thing in past years. It’s just amazing that at this point, with all the attention illegal immigration has received lately, the president continues to take the view that it’s individual states’ and communities’ tough luck that Washington can’t or won’t come up with comprehensive reform of the nation's broken immigration system.

Luckily, Congress is a bit more grounded in reality and responsibility on the issue. Legislators allocated $405 million in the 2006 budget to reimburse states for holding illegal aliens who have committed crimes. California and other states will have to rely on Congress to come through again in the 2007 budget process.

Not that $405 million, $50 million of which came via an amendment by local Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, is anywhere close to equitable. California and its counties get roughly 40 percent of the SCAAP funds, which amounted to $121 million for fiscal year 2005 and should be roughly $160 million for 2006. But the state spends about $750 million a year incarcerating immigrants who have crossed the border illegally and committed crimes here. Los Angeles County was reimbursed $12.5 million for 2005 while spending at least four times that. San Bernardino County was repaid just $407,580 last year, a fraction of what it spent.

[Amerigomag]

Don'tya just lovem? Our favorite neocons.

[NormsRevenge]

California and other states will have to rely on Congress to come through again in the 2007 budget process.

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come through.. while illegals and drugs thru and under a porous border

[NormsRevenge]

come

[devane617]

Thanks Jorge Bushtega for destroying our beautiful America.

[America's Resolve]

I just don't get the President's soft on illegal immigration laws I guess. And every word out of his mouth just confuses me more.

I thought he was the protect America President. Isn't national security supposed to be the R's big draw?

I don't see how having wide open borders contributes to our national security and never will.

[Stellar Dendrite]

ping!

[308MBR]

I hate to agree with Bush on this, but California gets plenty of cash from the feds now.

The governors of these states have control of their own National Guard forces. Stop trying to punt ALL of this into the fed's lap. That is two thirds of the problem here. The states aren't doing their job either.

[ARCADIA]

George - I will gladly sell my country out to my foreign sponsors - Bush.

[ex-snook]

Hey look at the budget. The President doesn't believe in paying for a lot of things. He is forwarding the unpaid bills to the next President.

[Stellar Dendrite]

ping

[BIGZ]

I am a staunch conservative and usually vote Republican but in the situation that involves ILLIGAL ALIENS President Bush is Wrong.

What part of ILLIGAL is it that they don't understand.

President Bush you are destroying my country.

[Mulch]

Bush has certainly been a laughable disgrace on the illegal immigration issue. It has forced me to seriously question the man's integrity.

[muawiyah]

Part of the problem the President has in closing down the borders arises out of the fact that California has more than it's fair share of min-numbed Liberals who want "open borders", and even more Countryclub Republicans who profit out of hiring illegals.

You guys have got to learn to give up your maid service if we are ever going to get a handle on this problem.

[Rapscallion]

On this one issue President Bush is on thin ice. "The borders" is a big enough issue to keep me home election day.

[AliVeritas]

Breaking ABC News Cheney accidently shoots a man during hunting accident.

[MineralMan]

What? You'd better have some backup for this statement.

[MineralMan]

Wow! You're right!

[BubbaTheRocketScientist]

I thought he was the protect America President. Isn't national security supposed to be the R's big draw?

Big business likes illegal alien labor. Illegals work cheap, and they are much less likely to cause the kinds of expensive problems legal immigrants or US nationals will, such as filing workers' comp claims, complaining about poor working conditions, calling OSHA to report violations, etc. Illegal aliens can't vote for (largely useless and inflationary, but still undesirable for business) minimum wage increases, and are much less likely to unionize.

[NormsRevenge]

fox now from ap.

Harry Wittington (?), age 78 , doing fine, hit in arm with bird shot.. quail hunting