---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a travesty, in my mind, for the…"
description: "\"It is a travesty, in my mind, for the state and local governments on the one hand to expect the Federal government to reimburse them for costs attribut..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d00/alan-k-simpson-13509_aliens_it-is-a-travesty-in-my-mind-for-the-stat_2514443.jpg"
---

#  It is a travesty, in my mind, for the state and local…

![“It is a travesty, in my mind, for the state and local governments on the one hand to expect the Federal government to reimburse them for costs attributable to illegal immigrants, when on the other hand the State and local governments prohibit their own law enforcement and other officials from…” quote by Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d00/alan-k-simpson-13509_aliens_it-is-a-travesty-in-my-mind-for-the-stat_2514443.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d00/alan-k-simpson-13509_aliens_it-is-a-travesty-in-my-mind-for-the-stat_2514443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d00/alan-k-simpson-13509_aliens_it-is-a-travesty-in-my-mind-for-the-stat_2514443.jpg)

> “It is a travesty, in my mind, for the state and local governments on the one hand to expect the Federal government to reimburse them for costs attributable to illegal immigrants, when on the other hand the State and local governments prohibit their own law enforcement and other officials from cooperating with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to locate or apprehend or expel illegal aliens.”

[Alan K. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-k-simpson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote criticizes the inconsistency of state/local governments demanding federal reimbursement for costs caused by illegal immigration while simultaneously refusing to cooperate with immigration enforcement agencies.

**In simple terms:** States ask for money but block enforcement.

Key Takeaway

Align policy and funding to avoid contradictions.

Themes

government immigration federalism policy budget

Mood

frustrated critical

Type

political policy

When to use this quote

- state budgeting
- federal reimbursement
- immigration enforcement
- policy reform
- intergovernmental cooperation

Key Concepts

federalism public finance law enforcement intergovernmental relations

Questions to Reflect On

- How can federal and local policies be coordinated without financial conflict?
- What incentives could encourage cooperation?

A Different Perspective

Requiring reimbursement may incentivize states to avoid cooperation, undermining the goal.

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