Speech #1030005609

DC. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: The United States was founded by immigrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families. America continues to offer a home to immigrants. as well as a safe harbor for those refugees fleeing oppression and persecution. If the federal government wishes to sustain a humanitarian foreign policy which fosters immigration and refugee admissions. then it must allocate the financial resources required to support this population once it has arrived. Some immigrants and refugees have special needs which require government assistance in order to facilitate rapid assimilation. In setting immigration and refugee policy. the federal government has acknowledged these needs by mandating that both documented and undocumented immigrants be provided with medical. education. and other services. The federal government has formed a partnership with the states to deliver these services to the immigrant population. In forming this partnership the federal government recognized its responsibility to reimburse states for the costs of providing these federally mandated services. This partnership has broken down. however. because the federal government has failed to honor its commitment to provide the reimbursement to which the states are entitled. States cannot be expected to pay the costs of policies which are fundamentally the responsibility of the federal governmont. This especially is the case at a time when so many states are struggling with longterm budget problems and are being forced to reassess state programs and expenditures. We look to your Administration and the Congress to renew the federalstate immigration partnershipotiq that recognizes the financial strain imposed by federal mandates which are unaccompanied by fair compensation. Several steps should be taken to achieve this objective: 1) The federal government must take immediate action to provide all reimbursement owed to the states for the provision of services to documented and undocumented immigrants and refugees. 2) The federal government must recognize that its decisions to admit immigrants and refugees is strictly a federal one and therefore carries with it a firm federal commitment to provide full reimbursement to the states for services provided to the immigrant and refugee population. 3) The federal government must work with the states to develop an effective federal mass immigration emergency plan. We look forward to working with you to meet these objective and to renewing the federalstate relationship in this vital policy area. Sincerely.