FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1996 (202) 616-2777 TDD (202) 514-1888 JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS 13.7 PERCENT INCREASE IN FY 97 BUDGET TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME, DRUGS, TERRORISM AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AG Reno: "We Must Build on our Results" WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Underscoring the President's commitment to fighting violent crime even as he submits a plan to balance the budget in seven years, the Justice Department today sought a boost in resources to fight drugs, violent crime, terrorism, and illegal immigration by releasing an FY 97 budget seeking $18.6 billion -- a 13.7 percent increase over 1996. The increase is the second largest of any cabinet agency. Since President Clinton took office, the Department's discretionary budget has increased more than 76 percent -- the most of any cabinet agency. The new resources would help pay for: þ an 11 percent increase in money to fight drugs -- including an 18 percent boost in the Drug Enforcement Adminstration's enforcement resources to pay for 116 new agents and other initiatives, þ 19,000 more police officers on the street, for a total of nearly 68,000 funded since the 1994 Crime Act was passed, þ $31.8 million to crack down on gangs and youth violence, þ increased efforts to fight violence against women, stop illegal handgun sales, and improve forensic tests, þ more than 100 new FBI agents to fight terrorism, þ a 16 percent increase in the INS budget to a record $3 billion, to support stepped-up Federal law enforcement activities along the Southwest border, increased removals of criminal aliens and enhanced sanctions against employers who hire illegal aliens, and þ more money to imprison criminals and fight health care fraud and scams against seniors, and an 8.7 percent increase for the Department's general litigating divisions. "We are making progress in fighting drugs, violent crime, and illegal immigration," said Attorney General Reno. "Now we must redouble our efforts and build on our results." CURBING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE "An 11 percent increase in anti-drug enforcement will help us to continue our strategy of disrupting and dismantling large-scale drug trafficking organizations," said Reno. "But we must also intervene with drug courts and treatment programs that help break the cycle of drugs and crime." Summary: An 11 percent increase in funding for the fight against drugs, including growth in direct Federal, State and local assistance. (A $704 million increase, from an estimated $6.437 billion in FY 1996 to $7.141 billion in FY 1997.) Much of the new money would boost DEA's law enforcement resources by 18 percent. (A $156 million increase, from $853 million in FY 1996 to $1.009 billion in FY 1997. Highlights include: 60 New Agents on the Street: $5.9 million for 60 special agents to enhance DEA's Mobile Enforcement Teams (MET) Program to continue the comprehensive response to drug-related violent crime on our Nation's urban streets and rural neighborhoods. 104 new Agents and 75 new U.S. Attorneys to Fight Southwest Border Drug Trafficking: $43.8 million to fund new agents and investigate and prosecute major Mexican drug trafficking organizations operating along the Southwest border. Opening a South African DEA Office: $632,000 to combat heroin trafficking by opening a DEA country office with 2 new agents in Pretoria, South Africa. A DEA presence in this major heroin transhipment area is a critical link in the effort to control Nigerian and other traffickers who increasingly use South Africa to smuggle illegal drugs into the United States. Improving DEA's Critical Infrastructure: $70.81 million in DEA infrastructure enhancements including advanced computer automation equipment, domestic office communications equipment, replacement radios, new digital intercept technology for two field divisions, technical investigative equipment, aircraft, vehicles, ADP, agent relocation requirements, and funding to begin a three-year laboratory reconstruction effort. More Drug Courts and Treatment Grants: $109 million in OJP funding to assist State and local governments in developing a comprehensive response to drug-related crime and drug use, including $100 million in continued funding for Drug Courts to assist State and local governments in developing and implementing programs for non-violent offenders with substance abuse problems, and $9 million in State Prison Drug Treatment grants for residential substance abuse programs. Progress in Fighting Drug Abuse The FY 97 budget proposal builds on 1995's progress in fighting illegal drugs: The flow of heroin from Southeast Asia was dramatically disrupted after the arrest of a high ranking member of the Shan United Army involved in heroin trafficking. With Justice Department leadership, bilateral investigations resulted in the dismantling of the Cali Mafia by the Colombian National Police. United States Attorneys filed 13.4 percent more drug cases in 1995 over 1994, and charged 12.6 percent more defendants for drug-related crimes. FIGHTING CRIME AND PUTTING COPS ON THE BEAT "Violent crime is down nationwide, but we must do more," said Reno. "Congress must not scrap the COPS program, and we must have more resources to fight accelerating youth crime." More Cops on the Beat: $1.976 billion for the Community Oriented Policing program (COPS) in FY97. Of this amount, $1.950 billion will be used to hire approximately 19,000 more police officers, bringing the total number of cops funded to nearly 68,000 of 100,000 promised in the 1994 Crime Act. The remaining $26 million will be used to fund the Police Corps, law enforcement scholarships and police recruitment programs. Fight Youth/Gang Violence: $31.8 million to crackdown on youth violence and gangs, including an additional $28 million in Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Community-Based Juvenile Violence/State Court Assistance grants, $2.8 million for the FBI's Safe Street Task Forces, and $1 million to expand OJP's Comprehensive Gang Program. Combat Violence Against Women: More than $21 million in increased OJP support to combat violence against women, bringing available State and local assistance under the 1994 Violence Against Women Act to $189 million. Keeping Guns Out of the Wrong Hands: $45.2 million in increased resources to prevent the sale of guns to criminals, including $20.2 million to continue the FBI's implementation of the permanent National Instant Check System as required by the Brady Handgun Control Act, and $25 million in OJP grants to improve the ability of States to identify the criminal histories of felons and other persons ineligible to purchase firearms. Improving Identification of Suspects and DNA Testing: $7 million in additional OJP funding to enhance suspect identification technology, including $2 million in State grants to increase the capabilities of State and local forensic laboratories, and $5 million to implement a DNA technology program. Building More Prison Cells: The request includes more than $250 million to accommodate our ever-growing inmate population, including construction of facilities for more than 2,200 new prison and detention beds and activations of more than 6,900 beds. This total includes $20 million for private sector management of more than 2,700 of the 6,900 beds. Restoring Needed Infrastructure: $122.24 million in FBI, USMS, USA, and INS infrastructure improvements for interoperable radio communications, vehicles, security improvements, facility renovation, field support to complement the steady growth in enforcement agents, and information resource management. FIGHTING TERRORISM "At home and abroad, the terrorist threat to Americans is as tough as ever to meet," said Reno. "We need new resources to keep up, and make terrorists pay." Summary: $27.9 million dedicated to preventing and investigating acts of terrorism, including: Hiring 108 More FBI Agents: An increase of $18.2 million and 108 additional agents to enable the FBI to maintain its aggressive counterterrorism initiatives at home and abroad. $9.7 million for the Attorney General's Counterterrorism Fund established in response to the Oklahoma City bombing. The fund is used to reimburse Justice agencies for cost incurred in support of countering, investigating, or prosecuting domestic and/or international terrorism, and to finance reward payments. In addition, the fund may be used to restore offices destroyed or damaged in the Oklahoma City bombing or other domestic or international acts of terrorism. SOUTHWEST BORDER & IMMIGRATION "This budget provides a 16 percent increase for INS and continues our commitment to a firm and equitable immigration policy that enforces the rule of law at our borders and in the American workplace," said Reno. "That means more than a 100 percent increase since we began in 1993 to reverse years of neglect at our borders and implement President Clinton's comprehensive immigration strategy." Summary: The Department's INS request of $3 billion is a 16 percent increase over FY 96, to support stepped-up Federal law enforcement and anti-drug activities along the Southwest border, increased removals of criminal aliens and sanctions against employers who hire aliens. Highlights of the $236 million Southwest Border Initiative include efforts to: Strengthen Control of Our Nation's Borders: $166 million to hire 700 additional Border Patrol agents, fund 126 previously authorized (but unfunded) agent positions, add 150 immigration inspectors, expand INS' interior repatriation program, and purchase critical agent equipment (border sensors, weapons, radios, infrared scopes, and helicopter replacement) for the Southwest border. These agents will be targeted to build upon the success of INS' Operations Hold-The-Line, Safeguard and Gatekeeper. Fight Southwest Border Drug Trafficking: $43.84 million will pay to hire 54 new DEA agents, 50 new FBI agents, and 75 Assistant U.S. Attorneys to investigate and prosecute major Mexican drug trafficking organizations operating along the Southwest border. (Also mentioned in the drug enforcement section.) Crack Down on Border Corruption: Nearly $6 million in increased resources and agents for the DEA, FBI, United States Attorneys, United States Marshals, and the Office of the Inspector General's efforts to investigate and prosecute Mexican drug traffickers and corruption of public officials. Other efforts to control illegal immigration and improve adjudication and naturalization initiatives include $173.36 million to: Increase Enforcement and Sanctions Against Employers Who Hire Illegal Aliens: $30 million to expand INS' worksite enforcement presence in key States and localities, while also improving verification systems required to identify illegal aliens employed or receiving benefits. Expand Efforts to Remove Criminal Aliens: $21.85 million to assist State and local governments in identifying and removing criminal aliens in both prisons and local jails, as well as providing background checks to determine the alien status of arrestees through INS' Law Enforcement Support Center. Increase Alien Detention and Deportation: $13.42 million for INS to activate 700 new detention beds in Miami, FL, and El Paso, TX, and resources to expand INS' alien transportation system. Enhance State Criminal Alien Assistance: $30 million for OJP to enhance the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), bringing the total amount available to $330 million. This amount, combined with the $170 million in State Correctional Grants, provides $500 million to State and local governments for the incarceration of criminal aliens. Provide Increased Litigative Support for Immigration Cases: $25.69 million to add 17 new attorneys to address the United States Attorneys immigration caseload, increase Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) judges and support, and expand INS/EOIR's pilot Port Court program to provide on-site adjudication at ports of entry. Disrupt Overseas Alien Smuggling: $5 million for joint INS/Department of State Operation Global Reach to identify, investigate and disrupt international alien smuggling operations. Fee-Funded Immigration Initiatives: $47.4 million in fee- funded enhancements to improve immigration adjudication, naturalization, and inspections. Progress in Fighting Illegal Immigration The FY 97 budget proposal builds on 1995's progress in fighting illegal immigration: þ In FY 1995, INS removed a record number of criminal and other deportable aliens from the United States (49,311). þ In January, 1995, INS launched Operation Jobs, a concentrated enforcement effort that targets employers who routinely flaunt the law and hire illegal aliens -- removing 4,453 aliens and placing more than 3,000 U.S. citizens in jobs previously held by illegal aliens. Since 1993, more than 15,000 enforcement actions have led to more than 25,000 apprehensions and $10.5 million in employer fines. þ The U.S. Attorneys' immigration caseload increased 64.5 percent from FY 1994 to 1995, resulting in a 28 percent increase in the number of defendents tried. OTHER FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES Health Care Fraud: $79 million to combat the problem of fraud. This initiative includes $56 million and 339 agents to be made available to the FBI upon passage of the proposed Health Care Fraud and Abuse Act of 1995, which authorizes funds for Federal agencies to promote multi-level government coordination, investigations, prosecutions, and reporting on health care fraud and abuse cases. Also included is an additional $23 million, to be funded through the proposed Health Care Fraud and Abuse Act of 1995 to cover the costs of prosecuting health care fraud matters. SCAMS: $4.0 million for the FBI's Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams (SCAMS) initiative, for the United States Attorneys to prosecute SCAMS fraud cases, and for OJP's Telemarketing Fraud Against Seniors program, authorized in the Crime Bill to provide grants to State and local law enforcement agencies and senior citizen advocacy groups for public awareness and prevention. ### 96-119
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
