releases: https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=b9592241-78f0-413c-8543-4c4c327dd971
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=b9592241-78f0-413c-8543-4c4c327dd971 | McCAIN, FLAKE, FEINSTEIN & SCHUMER INTRODUCE BILL TO REIMBURSE STATES FOR HOUSING CRIMINAL ALIENS | 2015-12-10 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | AZ | John McCain | M000303 | www.mccain.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced bipartisan legislation today that would fully reimburse states for the cost of housing criminal aliens in state, county, and city jails and prisons. Today, Arizona, California, New York, Texas and Florida incarcerate nearly 60 percent of the criminal alien population nationwide and are reimbursed for less than 15 percent of the cost to house the inmates. For the state of Arizona, that means a shortfall of almost $70 million that must be assumed by the state and local governments. The legislation introduced today would reauthorize the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), which allows for the full $950 million-a-year reimbursement to state and local governments over the next five years. This proposal was approved by the Senate last Congress as part of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. As a major entry point for illegal human trafficking and drug smuggling on the U.S.-Mexico border, Arizona has been disproportionately affected by the influx in criminal aliens being detained and housed in our jails and prisons, said Senator McCain. Arizona and other border states shouldnt be penalized for securing the border and keeping their communities safe. This legislation would ensure that states and local governments are reimbursed for housing criminal aliens, ensuring Arizona taxpayers do not bear the full brunt of our national priority to secure the border. I have long been a supporter of the SCAAP program, said Senator Flake. State and local governments shouldnt be held fiscally responsible for the federal governments failure to secure the border. The failure of Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform means that border states like California will continue to cover the costs of incarcerating immigrants who are undocumented, said Senator Feinstein. The federal government has a responsibility to help foot the bill for these costs, which can place a tremendous burden on local, county, and state governments. Without this funding, county sheriffs and police departments could be forced to lay off many of the officers who keep our communities safe. Since 1994, the SCAAP has reimbursed states for costs incurred while holding criminal aliens in non-federal prisons. Over the past five years, SCAAP funding has fallen while the burden to house criminal aliens has been shifted to local taxpayers. This year, President Obama requested no funding for SCAAP in his budget request while the Senate appropriations bill reduced SCAAP funding to $75 million. The House funded SCAAP at $185 million. These funding levels are severely inadequate and punish state and local law enforcement for doing the job of the federal government. Leon N. Wilmot and Chis Nanos, president and vice president of the Arizona Sheriffs Association, and Matt Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties, also wrote letters praising the senators legislation: In light of the continued cuts to the programs funding level, increasing incarceration costs, and a growing pool of applicants, it is imperative that Congress increase resources for SCAAP, write Wilmot and Nanos. Without sufficient SCAAP funding, state and local governments must shoulder the burden, which in turn will force many of our local law enforcement agencies to cut other essential public safety functions, including deputy sheriffs, police officers, anti-gang violence units, and county attorneys. Although it is the federal governments responsibility to protect and secure our nations borders, counties incur millions of dollars in un-reimbursed expenses each year in housing undocumented individuals who violate state or local law, writes Chase. In many cases, counties must also provide medical care and other services to these individuals. As a result, counties bear a disproportionate share of the criminal justice-related costs associated with illegal immigration and are often forced to divert funds from other important local programs in areas such as healthcare, social services and public safety. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |