Feds to pay more for prisoner care

The Senate has passed a bill cosponsored by U.S. Senator Pete Domenici that will dramatically increase authorized federal support for border states like New Mexico that are burdened with the high cost of incarcerating and detaining criminal illegal immigrants for the federal government.

Domenici is an original cosponsor of the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) Reauthorization Act of 2003 (S.460). The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The state of New Mexicoand 14 counties have received SCAAP funding, including Bernalillo,Cibola, Eddy, Lea, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval,Santa Fe,Taos, Dona Ana, McKinley,San Juanand Socorro.

"Immigration is a federal responsibility, and it is unfair to hold states and local governments fully accountable for handling criminal illegal immigrants," he said.