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For all of the unprecedented elements of President Trumps federal budget plans, theres an item buried in the list of detailed spending cuts that has a familiar, contentious political legacy in California.

Trump has proposed canceling federal government subsidies to states that house prisoners and inmates who are in the U.S. illegally. Hes not the first president to try it, and undoubtedly will get an earful from states like California.

For sheer bravado, the award for defending that subsidy probably goes to former Gov. Pete Wilson. In a letter sent to federal officials in 1995, two days after Christmas, Wilson threatened to drop off one of the states undocumented prisoners in shackles, no less on the doorstep of a federal jail. (He never actually did it.)

The intent of federal law is unequivocal, Wilson wrote about the subsidy program. The federal government must either reimburse the state at a fair rate for the incarceration of any undocumented inmate which it identifies or take the burden of incarceration off the states hands.

Wilson had won a second term the year before, with a blistering campaign attacking illegal immigration. His time in office was also marked by persistent state budget problems, and the money mattered. The state never got as much as it wanted, though, and years of squabbles followed over the fate of the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, established as part of the sweeping immigration reforms of 1986.

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did his fair share of complaining about skimpy SCAAP funding. In 2005, he and a bipartisan group of western U.S. governors demanded a boost in the program to a total of $850 million. That didnt happen.

The past two presidents, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, offered their own proposals to cancel the program. Trumps budget scores the possible savings at $210 million. His budget blueprint lampoons SCAAP as poorly targeted, and describes it as a program in which two-thirds of the funding primarily reimburses four states for housing felons who lack legal immigration status.

Want to take a guess which state gets the most? OK, thats an easy one.

Californias state government received $44.1 million in the 2015 federal budget year, according to Justice Department data. Add to that another $12.8 million that was paid directly to California counties, with the largest local subsidy being the $3 million paid to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

More than one-third of the entire program went to California. No other states share was even close. A win on this issue for the president would be particularly bitter for the state, where political animosity toward Trump is widespread.

Political Road Map: There's a $368 billion reason that California depends on Washington

In Gov. Jerry Browns budget unveiled last month, he assumed $50.6 million in federal help for prison costs related to felons in the U.S. illegally. A budget spokesman for Brown said the governor will ask for help from the states congressional delegation in saving the program. Still, its safe to say the estimate is now in doubt.

Roll back the clock, though, and take a look at how this political debate has changed. Wilsons legacy on illegal immigration cast a long shadow as candidate Trump promised to go after bad hombres who are illegally in the country. The presidents official plan, by most estimates, would go even further.

When President Obama tried to nix the subsidy, conservatives warned it would endanger public safety. So far, few are making the same case now that its coming from Trump a curious development, given Californias most famous illegal immigration critic once insisted the program was essential.

john.myers@latimes.com

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ALSO:

Los Angeles County sheriff opposes legislation to create a sanctuary state in California

Gov. Jerry Brown projects a $1.6 billion deficit by the summer of 2018

Updates on California politics and state government

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Political Road Map: California has long depended on an illegal ... - Los Angeles Times

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Approximately 30 countries are refusing to accept the deportations of illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes in the U.S., according to Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar.

While these countries are refusing to accept the deportations of these criminals, the U.S. government is still issuing visas and student visas to citizens of those countries, according to the Texan congressman. There is already a law on the books which allows the U.S. to hold visas from a country that is not taking back its criminals, but according to Cuellar, the U.S. is not enforcing it.

Were not enforcing it, which is amazing. So now my intent is to go back to our committee on appropriations and affect their funding until they do that, Cuellar told Sharyl Attkisson, host of Full Measure, in an interview.

Cuellar, a Democratic member of the House Committee on Appropriations, told Attkisson that the Supreme Court has ruled that illegal immigrants arrested for criminal activity can only be held for a certain period of time before they must be released.

That means youre releasing criminals into our streets because those countries refuse to take back those criminal aliens, said Cuellar. Thats wrong. And especially I think its even worse that this is already on the books, and were still issuing business tourist visas and student visas to countries that refuse to take back their criminal aliens. Thats wrong, and were hoping to change that.

Cuellar has not been afraid to break with some of his party leadership on immigration issues in the past. He was known as one of former President Barack Obamas fiercest critics on illegal immigration. Cuellar teamed up with Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn in 2014 to help pass a bill that would speed up the deportation of unaccompanied minors. His stance disappointed his fellow Democrats, including Sen. Harry Reid.

There are many foreign countries that refuse to retake illegal immigrants convicted of crimes, according to the congressman, including Vietnam, Cuba and China. Cuellar said that diplomacy plays a factor in the governments refusal to enforce the law, as the Department of State and other federal agencies do not want to upset foreign partners.

But my response is, but we can upset our constituents, we can upset our way of life that we have here by allowing those criminals to be released? said Cuellar. And basically the response from the State Department is because you have to work with the State Department and Homeland Security. And the State Department, with all due respect, was focused on diplomacy.

Cuellar noted that he understands the importance of diplomacy in these situations, but that it also important to prevent convicted criminals from returning to American neighborhoods. He told Attkisson that he plans to push for the U.S. government to withhold visas from countries that refuse to take back their convicted criminals.

You can watch Cuellars entire interview with Attkisson at Full Measures websiteSunday at 9:30 a.m.

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30 Countries Are Refusing To Take Back Criminal Illegals | The ... - Daily Caller

PITTSBURG Some residents are urging Pittsburgs City Council to declare that it will not support federal efforts to deport illegal immigrants.

A grass-roots group calling itself the Pittsburg Sanctuary Organizing Committee plans to present the City Council on Monday with a petition asking it to adopt a policy of not cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in their attempts to deport residents or investigate their immigration status.

Topping the list of approximately 370 names is Arturo Fernandez, a 26-year-old UC Berkeley graduate student who grew up in Pittsburg and is leading the charge to have it join other cities and counties around the Bay Area that have declared themselves sanctuaries for those who lack the requisite documentation to be here.

Fernandez began his campaign shortly after the presidential election by emailing the City Council with a request that it adopt a resolution declaring itself a sanctuary city.

I felt a lot of panic and fear about what would happen next, said Fernandez of his reaction to President Donald Trumps win,recalling his campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration.

Fernandez himself lacks papers his mother brought him to the United States from Mexico when he was 3 months old to join her husband in Southern California. The family later moved to Pittsburg, where Fernandez graduated from Pittsburg High School. He only learned that he was undocumented after sixth grade when he enrolled in a summer math course at Los Medanos College. He needed a Social Security number to receive college credit, but his mother told him he didnt have one because he wasnt a U.S. citizen.

These days Fernandez is benefiting from a 2012 immigration policy targeting illegal immigrants who entered the United States as minors, which has enabled him to earn two undergraduate degrees and pursue a Ph.D. without fear of being returned to a country hes never known.

The policy also has made it possible for Fernandez to obtain a work permit, which he is using to supplement private scholarships with hiscampus job as a graduate student instructor.

But such opportunities are hard to come by in Mexico, where most of those who cross the border illegally are trying to escape extreme poverty, he said.

Because of the demand to move to the United States, it takes longer for Mexicans to come here legally than would-be immigrants from other countries, Fernandez added.

People cant wait theyre trying to survive, provide for their children, he said. People dont leave a country they grew up in because they want to but because they have to in order to survive.

Jesus Cano, a 17-year-old Pittsburg High senior who also has been in the U.S. illegally since he was an infant, signed the petition and will be carrying Fernandezs message to fellow students.

It wasnt my choice to come illegally into the country, he said, adding that, like Fernandez, he hopes for changes in immigration law that will make it easier for undocumented U.S. residents to become citizens.

Pittsburg likely will be the first city in East Contra Costa County to grapple with the issue of whether to become a sanctuary.

Brentwood and Antioch officials have not discussed the matter, although a couple of Antioch council members last month publicly stated that they would like the city to explore the possibility.

Oakleys city manager would neither confirm nor deny whether the council has addressed the topic, but Councilman Doug Hardcastle said he and his colleagues would not consider becoming a sanctuary city.

As for Pittsburg, Mayor Merl Craft says she is not taking Fernandezs requests lightly, adding that she and her colleagues plan to discuss the matter.

We are in no way ignoring this issue, she said.

But Craft emphasized that before the council ever would take action, it first must consider all sides of the issue and understand the ramifications of becoming a sanctuary city.

We are going to try to do whats best for our citizens, she said. We need to do it right. We need to research this.

Link:
Group wants Pittsburg to become a sanctuary for illegal immigrants - East Bay Times

Photo by Pa. Legislature

Republican State Representative Daryl Metcalfe

(Harrisburg) -- A package of bills designed to crack down on illegal immigration in Pennsylvania has been introduced in the state House of Representatives.

It's called the "National Security Begins At Home" legislative package.

The effort is being led by Representative Daryl Metcalfe, who says it's been given new momentum by the election of Donald Trump.

"It gives us an opportunity to work with them and to partner with them and that's why we're excited about introducing this package here today, because of that new partnership activity that will now be occuring with the new administration," he said.

The bills include a requirement that the E-Verify system, to prove legal status, be used by all businesses in Pennsylvania, sanctions against any business that knowingly employs an undocumented worker, and legislation to ensure state benefits are issued only to those in this country legally.

See the original post:
Bills target illegal immigration in PA - witf.org

The victim is clear in these two stories

Re: Supporters urge release of father held by ICE after dropping daughter off at school (March 7) and Man deported 5 times suspect in fatal crash (March 7):

The two stories on the front page should put illegal immigration into perspective. One family urging for the release of their family member and one grieving over theirs. Which story is the one that readers think should be the one that wakes us up on the reality of unchecked illegal immigration?

While one family is saying that the death of their family member could have and should have been prevented by deporting and keeping out a man with a criminal record, including DUIs, which led to the death of their daughter, another family is calling for the release of their family member, also a man with a criminal record, including a DUI, all the while saying, Were not leaving and Were bigger than ICE.

I think it is very clear which family is the true victim here and it is time for our state politicians to wake up and realize it, too.

Sisson Stewart, Lancaster

There is more blood on Muslim hands

Re: Religion and violence (Letters, Feb. 28):

A letter-writer claims that Christians have killed more people in terrorist attacks in the United States than Muslims and gives several supposed examples.

The Oklahoma City bomber was raised a Catholic as a youth, but never embraced or claimed it. Eleven people have been shot to death in abortion clinic attacks over a period of more than 20 years and a few of the killers claimed to be Christians.

None of the school or movie theater shooters were Christians; in fact, the Columbine killer specifically targeted Christians! All told, less than 10 people have been murdered by people claiming to be Christians.

From 9/11 to Little Rock, Fort Hood to Boston to San Bernardino, Muslims have murdered thousands of Americans and done so in the name of Islam, often yelling Allahu akbar at the time.

Gregg Frazer, Castaic

Arab governments fear the Palestinians

Re: A plan for the West Bank (Letters, March 10):

What letter-writer Richard Greenblatt calls Egypts and Jordans disdain for the Palestinians is more: Everyone hates and fears them, and no one wants to try to govern them.

They tried to assassinate the King of Jordan and take over the country: They were massacred. Those who managed to cross the Jordan River were taken by Israel to the Lebanese border and released.

In Lebanon they so persecuted the Christians that their victims took revenge on them in the Sabra and Shatila camps at the first opportunity.

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The Kuwaitis expelled them for collaborating with the Iraqi invaders. The Egyptians were clever enough to refuse them entry in 1948, leaving them bottled up in the Gaza Strip, which Egypt does not want to reoccupy.

The Syrians were cautious enough to keep them in camps, outside of Damascus. Jordan could have reoccupied Samaria and Judea (in propagandese, West Bank) under the peace agreement with Israel, but didnt want to.

Louis Richter, Reseda

Chemerinsky and the leftist media

Re: Lack of respect for Constitution, democracy a big worry (Erwin Chemerinsky, Feb. 23):

Professor Erwin Chemerinskys column is maddening to some of us. Here he is, the dean of a law school and he writes (and you print) a large article condemning President Trump for his unconstitutional declarations and attacks on the media.

First off, our free press has, over the last 50 years or so, become imbedded with a leftist ideology such that it is no longer free. It is more a monopolized conspiracy and Chemerinsky is a co-conspirator.

In past columns, Erwin talked about democracy when his candidate (Hillary Clinton) lost the election because the United States is a republic. Trump is the president and George W. Bush was president because we are a republic, not a democracy.

Trump is not the problem. Erwin and his ideological cohorts are the problem.

Robert Sharp, Arleta

Read more from the original source:
Two stories put illegal immigration into perspective: Letters - LA Daily News