[As you read the following, recall that in FY2002, just 13 (thirteen) companies were fined for immigration violations. That's drastically down from prior years.]

From Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)'s site:

A bipartisan group of senators is calling on the Bush Administration to add $850 million in funding to the federal budget to assist states with the cost of incarcerating undocumented criminal offenders.

In a letter initiated by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and signed by eleven other Senators last week, the group urged President Bush to reconsider his proposed elimination of funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP)...

The letter stated: "We write out of deep concern over your Fiscal Year 2005 Budget proposal to cut funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) by 100 percent. In addition, we are concerned that you propose eliminating this program altogether based on the Office of Management and Budget's assessment of the program."

...In California , where around 15 percent of state prison inmates are undocumented, the funding is vital to the state's correctional system.

According to this:

...the budget Bush sent Congress last month included no funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. Bush has zeroed out funding for the program in past budgets too, but Congress has always restored some money...

Paying for jailing criminal aliens is projected to cost California more than $700 million in the state fiscal year beginning in July.

A White House spokesman referred calls to the Department of Homeland Security, which referred calls to the Department of Justice, where a spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.

Once again, in FY2002, just 13 (thirteen) companies were fined for immigration violations. I think it's time for Bush to go back to Crawford.

The other signers of the letter are: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA) [yes, that Barbara Boxer --LW], Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Cornyn (D-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Pete Domenici (R-NM), Bob Graham (D-FL), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), John McCain (R-AZ), Charles Schumer (D-NY).