HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08122003 - C.52 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS `� _--~ 4 CONTRA
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FROM. John Sweeten,County Administrator X COSTA
,
COUNTY
DATE: August 12,200
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SUBJECT: Support Federal Funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION(%;
SUPPORT federal funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCRAP) at the FFY 2002 level,
$565 million.
BACKGROUND/REASONS)FOR RECOMMENDATION(S):
The 1994 Crime Act established SCAAP to reimburse state and local governments for the costs of incarcerating
criminal aliens. Unlike other discretionary justice grant programs, SCARP is a reimbursement program which
recognizes that control of illegal immigration is solely a federal responsibility. State and local taxpayers should
not have to bear the financial burden of incarcerating criminal aliens who are in the country due to the federal
government's failure to control our borders.
SCAAP was funded at $565 million in FFY 2002 and $250 million in FFY 2003. The Administration has
proposed eliminating the program. The House recently adopted an appropriation of$400 million in FFY 2004.
The Senate has not yet acted on it.
It is estimated that eligible state and local SCARP costs nationally amount to approximately$1.5 billion year.
In 2002,Contra Costa County received$910,000. At the very least, SCAAP funding for FFY 2004 should be
increased to the FFY 2002 funding level of$565 million.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: 4.YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR—RECOMMENDATION OF B A MITTEE
APPROVE _OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):Q�� r
ACTION OF BOA7 O _August 12, 2(1E33 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
Vb
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
X UNANIMOUS{ABSENT None ? TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact: Sara Hoffman,336-1090 August 12, 2003
ATTESTED
cc: CAO JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF
Sheriff-Coroner THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Paul Schlesinger,Federal Lobbyist r - AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
National Association of Counties
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£ ,?; Deputy
BACK GROUNPMASON S F+[R RECOMMENDATION cont'd :
Incarceration costs represent only a small portion of the expense incurred by a county in dealing with criminal
illegal aliens. Counties also must pay for the costs of law enforcement, prosecution, indigent defense, and a share
of trial oasts as well. In addition, these detainees frequently endure dehydration, exposure, and serious injury
trying to enter the country illegally and are entitled to emergency medical care as indigents and to ongoing
medical care as jail inmates. In California, these are county expenses. Furthermore, costs for incarcerating
undocumented criminal aliens who are juveniles are not allowable under the current program, unless the juvenile
was tried as an adult.
Given the increased financial burdens that counties face, this is not the time for Congress to abdicate its
responsibility to states and local governments.