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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Senate Approves Budget Amendment to Fully Fund State Criminal Alien Assistance Program WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate unanimously approved an amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution early Friday to fully fund a program that reimburses states and local governments for a portion of the costs associated with incarcerating illegal criminal aliens. The amendment was cosponsored by Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), a leading advocate for such reimbursements. The amendment increased the budget allocation for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) to its fully authorized level of $950 million, the level set in a bill, now law, written by Sens. Kyl and Feinstein (D-CA). The President’s budget zeroed out SCAAP funding. For the current fiscal year, Congress appropriated only $410 million, less than half of the authorized amount. “Controlling illegal immigration is a federal responsibility, and when illegal immigration is not controlled, state and local governments, particularly in border states like Arizona, are saddled with the costs of incarcerating criminal illegal aliens,” said Kyl. “The SCAAP program reimburses state and local governments for a share of these costs, and that is why it’s important that we fund it.” The Senate Budget Resolution provides a spending blueprint that helps determine levels at which our government is funded. SCAAP reimburses states and localities for a share of the costs incurred for incarcerating criminal illegal aliens who have at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law, and who are incarcerated for at least four consecutive days during the reporting period. ### |