States are spending millions of dollars to house illegal aliens. Florida presents a unique case where both State and Federal approaches have been applied simultaneously to reduce the $60 million a year burden of housing criminal illegal aliens in the State. In 1994, Florida's governor announced an agreement with the Immigration and Naturalization Service under which sentences of nonviolent criminal aliens are and the aliens are returned to their home countries. Following Florida's lead, other States with large illegal alien populations have filed suits against the Federal Government over costs of services that States provide to illegal aliens. State governors insist that it is not fair for taxpayers in their States to pay for illegal aliens, especially criminal illegal aliens. In response, the Federal Government has officially validated State complaints and has drastically changed its immigration policies. The Florida case shows that Federal and State agencies can forge partnerships. 11 notes and 1 table