CONGRESSMAN RUBÉN HINOJOSA ANNOUNCES US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AWARDS SOUTH TEXAS COUNTIES GRANT FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE CRIMINAL ALIEN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX-15) announced the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) through its State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) awarded grants totaling $45,519.00 to the counties of Hidalgo, Bee, Duval and Live Oak. SCAAP provides federal funding to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal immigrants with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions.

"Our local and state law enforcement officers are working very hard day and night to find criminals who break our laws," said U.S. Rep. Hinojosa. "Once captured, criminals are detained in our jails and prisons and the added costs create a financial burden on local communities. Federal funding is essential in cases such as these especially for counties that are affected the most by undocumented immigrant entries."

The funding breakdown as provided by the DOJ:

Hidalgo County $43,101.00

Bee County $858.00

Duval County $806.00

Live Oak County $754.00

SCAAP funds can be used for:

• Salaries for corrections officers
• Overtime costs
• Construction of corrections facilities
• Training/education for offenders
• Training or corrections officers related to offender population
• Consultants involved with offender population
• Medical and mental health services
• Vehicle rental/purchase for transport of offenders
• Prison industries
• Pre-release/reentry programs
• Technology involving offender management/inter-agency information sharing
• Disaster preparedness continuity of operations for corrections facility

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