Link: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords gets SCAAP Funding Restored.
SCAAP is the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses local law enforcement agencies for the cost of imprisoning undocumented aliens. You may remember the flap that Gov. Napolitano created by sending overdue bills to Washington for over $300 million in unpaid SCAAP reimbursements. Well, Gabby scored a big coup by by helping to restore funding that was slated to be cut considerably. The President’s proposed budget for 2008 cut the program entirely for the second year in row, but the Appropriations subcommittee finally agreed to fund the program at $405 million, roughly the same as the 2006 level, after first recommending $375 million.
Yet even at $405 million the program is still far below the nearly billion dollars this program should be funded at, not to mention making up the deficits that have been building up for years. We’re still a long way from delivering promises to take the unfair burden off taxpayers of border state, but you have to walk before you can run, and this is hopefully the first tiny step toward a marathon.
A fight like this takes a coalition among border states that transcends partisanship and ideology and focuses on simple fairness and justice. The Governors of California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico are working very well together, as are most of the members of Arizona’s Congressional delegation from both parties. There are notable exceptions, however. For some reason John Shadegg and Jeff Flake didn’t join with the rest of the delegation in a letter to the Appropriations Sub-Committee. I wonder if Shadegg and Flake maybe don’t think this program is important enough to fight for? Maybe someone folks in their districts should ask them.
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I am going to watch this program very closely in Southern Arizona and especially Pima County and the Public Defenders Office to make sure the funds go to LAW ENFORCEMENT- ARRESTING-JAILING and DEPORTING ILLEGAL MEXICAN NATIONALS instead of giving them access to LAWYERS from MEECHA;LA RAZA and OPEN BORDERS to keep them in Country granting them Amnesty through our wack job Judges who think The United States is a sanctuary for everyone EXCEPT Legal American Citizens and there Rights under our Constitution!
Iam getting very tired of Terrorists; MS-13 Gangs; Illegal Mexican Nationals; and Drug Dealers having more rights than a legal American Citizen and our Law Enforcement Agencies!
Lawyers in Southern Arizona better watch who they decide to defend because it may bite them where it hurts; the Taxpayer funded programs for everyone but legal American Citizens who are being screwed by the Arizona State Bar!