News Release

Washington, DC – With debate over immigration reform underway in the U.S. Senate, Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) are co-sponsoring an amendment to immigration reform legislation before the Senate that will strengthen efforts to prosecute those who cross the northern U.S. border illegally. If enacted, the Northern Border Prosecution Initiative would reimburse state and local law enforcement jurisdictions in their efforts to combat illegal immigration along the northern U.S. border in the same way legislation passed earlier covers the southern U.S. border.

Crapo served as the lead co-sponsor on the amendment introduced today by Cantwell. It would create the Northern Border Prosecution Initiative and authorize spending of up to $28 million to fund it during Fiscal Year 2007. More than $130 million has gone to state and local jurisdictions eligible under the Southwest Border Protection Initiative since its inception in 2002.

Crapo earlier joined with Cantwell and fellow Idaho Senator Larry Craig in a stand-alone bill for the Northern Border Prosecution Initiative Reimbursement Act, S. 1958. That bill has been pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“We have heard from individuals and law enforcement alike that border security is important in Idaho,” Crapo said. “The bi-partisan nature of support for the Northern Border amendment means it stands a good chance of quick passage similar to the southern border bill.”

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