Washington, D.C. - Today U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft urging federal assistance for the prosecution of criminals at the Northern Border.  Crimes committed along the border often fall under federal jurisdiction but are prosecuted using local resources.  

There is currently a program for the southwest border that reimburses costs to local governments for handling federal/border-related cases along the southwest border. Murray, Cantwell and Larsen wrote to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft today to push for a similar program to be implemented for counties or states along the northern border.

“Since September 11th, local communities along the Northern Border have faced the rising costs of protecting our nation,” Senator Murray said.  “With increased federal presence comes the responsibility of our federal government to help our Northern Border communities absorb these costs.  But it is unfair for the federal government to increase resources in enforcement without increasing resources for prosecution.”

Cantwell stated, "The war on terrorism has placed extraordinary demands on our law enforcement efforts, especially in border areas like Whatcom County.  The federal government has an obligation to support these efforts because the work being done here doesn’t only protect the Northwest, it protects the entire country."

Larsen added, “Local prosecutors and law enforcement officials have stepped up to the plate to make our communities safer.  The federal government needs to do the same.”  

He continued, “Local prosecutors have responded to the call of duty and have taken these cases at their own expense, with the best interests and safety of our communities in mind.  Now their resources are depleting, just as the cases brought to them by the border patrol agents and U.S. Marshals are increasing.  It’s time for the federal government, in turn, to respond to the call of duty."

In the letter, Larsen, Murray, and Cantwell explained, “Whatcom county is spending more than $2 million a year to incarcerate, prosecute, and provide defense services for border related cases.  The county is unable to serve warrants because its jail has already reached capacity with border related criminals.”

The problem of prosecuting border-related crimes with local resources in has been a long-standing one.  Since 9-11, there have been more federal arrests at the border, which have made the strain on resources more noticeable in Whatcom county.

Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney David McEachran wrote to Larsen earlier this year, “The impact from the border has been very profound on the criminal justice system in this county and has taken many of our criminal justice resources.  We have been impacted through law enforcement, jail services, court time, prosecutors and criminal defenders…  We are starting to stagger under this load and need, and should receive assistance from the federal government.”

Washington state is home to two of the busiest ports along the nation’s northern border.

Larsen is an active member of the bipartisan Northern Border Caucus.