[JURIST] US President Barack Obama [official website] on Thursday proposed $17 billion in cuts to the fiscal year 2010 federal budget, including cutting $400 million [proposals, PDF] from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) [program website]. SCAAP is a program that subsidizes state and local governments for the costs of incarcerating illegal aliens who commit crimes, and Obama's proposed cut would effectively eliminate the program. The White House said the cut was made because the $400 million could be better spent by the federal government to enhance federal immigration programs, specifically:

In place of SCAAP, the Administration proposes a comprehensive border enforcement strategy that supports resources for a comprehensive approach to enforcement along the Nation's borders that combines law enforcement and prosecutorial efforts to investigate arrest, detain, and prosecute illegal immigrants and other criminals. The initiative also enhances the Department's ability to track fugitives from justice, combat gunrunners and illegal drug traffickers.