Newhouse supports program to pay for housing illegal aliens

A federal program to reimburse states and counties for the cost of housing illegal aliens in  local jails has already been cut.

Now the Obama administration has threatened to cut out funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance program altogether.

That would leave local and state taxpayers picking up the tab.

Congressman Dan Newhouse says he and others plan to fight the effort. A spokesman says Newhouse is behind an effort to increase rather than reduce the funding.

The program had been reduced from $238 million to $180 million dollars just two years ago.