Cantwell Introduces Measure to Help Communities Bogged Down in Border Security Costs
Amendment introduced today would help northern border communities prosecute border crimes, detain suspects
WASHINGTON, DC – Tuesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced an amendment to help communities along America’s northern border cover the cost of prosecuting border crimes and detaining individuals suspected of border violations.
“Cities and counties along America’s northern border should be able to focus on pressing local needs like schools and roads, instead, we’re forcing them to use their budgets to foot our border security bill,” said Cantwell, a member of the Northern Border Coalition. “Border violations are a federal responsibility and they need to be paid for by the federal government, not small cash-strapped border communities. If we truly care about securing our borders, we can’t shortchange northern border states.”
Cantwell introduced her Northern Border Prosecution Initiative Reimbursement Act Tuesday as an amendment to immigration legislation currently under consideration in the Senate. Modeled on an existing program for the southern border, Cantwell’s bill would authorize almost $30 million annually to reimburse communities for the cost of prosecuting cases, detaining suspects, and constructing holding spaces. Reimbursements would cover investigations and arrests initiated by federal law enforcement officers, as well as any case involving a violation of federal law referred to state or local authorities for prosecution. The amendment has six cosponsors from northern border states, including Senators Larry Craig (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Patty Murray (D-WA), Carl Levin (D-MI), James Jeffords (I-VT), and Max Baucus (D-MT).
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