It was the Federal Government which failed to screen the criminals out. failed to support sponsorship arrangements. failed to provide the assistance which might have kept still other entrants from turning to crime. Yet that Federal Government now expects these already beleaguered people to spend their State and local tax money to have their own courts do the screening and their own jails and prisons hold entrant criminals. It has been said again and again by officials at all levels of government that refugees. entrants. and other aliens coming into this country are a Federal responsibility. They are here due to Federal policiesor. as in the case of the Mariel boatlift. due to the failure of Federal policy. States and localities have little or no voice in determinations of numbers to be admitted or places of resettlement. It is increasingly obvious. however. that the administrations commitment to meeting this Federal responsibility does not extend to requesting funds sufficient to aid the States and localities which must provide necessary services to refugees and entrants. or which must deal with these newcomers when something goes wrong. At the very least. the people of Florida have the right to expect that the Federal Government should bear the cost of determining whether an entrant. who has no legal status. has violated his parole by committing a crime. and of incarcerating or deporting convicted offenders. They might also expect that the Federal Government would remove such violators. I am pleased that Chairman NEAL SMITH has offered to lend his assistance to the Members from Florida and other affected States in our efforts to get the administration to focus on this serious and growing problem. to give it some priority. and to try to help us.
Keywords matched
deporting refugees