Mr. President. as has become abundantly clear from the debate on the floor. immigration is a Federal responsibility. As this debate has shown. for too long the Federal Government has neglected its duty. My amendment addresses one of the clearest examples of this neglect because our failed national immigration policy has left our State and local governments to bear the brunt of the cost of immigration. Our schools. our hospitals. our other State and local services are being strained. Obviously. this is a problem in many communities and not just in border communities. Throughout our country and in my State. there are counties and municipalities that are covering the costs of dealing with education. health care. and law enforcement without adequate or any Federal reimbursement. So we have left our local and State governments to fend for themselves. They should not be left to bear these costs alone because it is not they who are making Federal immigration policy. This amendment does several things. It helps finally provide adequate support for State and local governments. How? Well. it not only appropriates the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program funding to our States. but it establishes a program that provides financial assistance to State and local governments for the cost of health and educational services related to immigration. Money is allocated to our States in accordance with a funding formula based on the size and recent growth of the States noncitizen population. The State must then pass the funds on to local governments and other entities that need the money for reimbursement. Here is how this program would be funded. because the amendment does not appropriate any new funds or impose any new fees on immigrants. Funding is drawn solely from existing fees already in the underlying bill. The underlying bill creates a State impact assistance account at the Treasury. but it does not direct any money into that account.
Keywords matched
noncitizen immigrants immigration