Funding for CASA needed, officials say

Gov. Martin O?Malley and Baltimore City officials fired back Tuesday, saying funding of CASA de Maryland is a required duty of social service in the face of failing federal immigration laws.

“The question becomes: Are we going to allow a permanent underclass of individuals to exist in our state, or are we going to try to provide basic services for individuals to become fully productive members of our society?” said O?Malley spokesman Rick Abbruzzese in response to an Examiner special report on Casa de Maryland?s funding published Monday.