Thread: FL: Immigration law will burden jail, sheriff says

Immigration law will burden jail, sheriff says

Sarasota Herald Tribune
January 24, 2011 Monday
By Jeremy Wallace

If Florida passes tough new illegal immigration laws like Arizona's, Sarasota will be forced to build a new jail to deal with the new arrests, Sarasota's sheriff said.

Speaking to more than 120 people at a Sarasota Republican Club meeting, Sheriff Tom Knight said he agrees with the philosophy of getting illegal immigrants off the street, but realistically Sarasota County currently doesn't have the jail space to house them.

"Where are you going to put them and how are you going to pay for it?" Knight asked during the Thursday night meeting.

Knight, a Republican, said he has been able to get more than 160 illegal immigrants from 17 counties in the jail deported in the last two years to free up jail space. If deputies start checking the immigration status of people pulled over for routine traffic stops, he says the jail population will swell past the 1,026 inmates the jail can hold now.

"You as a community will have to pay for the bricks and mortar," Knight said.

Knight said the federal government has "dropped the ball" on illegal immigration.

He said if the federal government was doing its job correctly, Florida wouldn't have the illegal immigration problem it has.

But the solution, he said, should not be just something that forces local governments to build more jails.

Just two years ago, Knight said, he had 1,002 people in the jail -- near capacity.

He has been able to get the number down to 838, but says tougher state illegal immigration laws will make those populations swell as the county waits for the federal government to go through the deportation process.

The Legislature is considering a bill sponsored by State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, that will allow police to check the immigration status of people pulled over for traffic offenses and turn them over to federal authorities.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 54&start=1

Don't you just love this Sheriffs Gung Ho Can Do Attitude .

So build a new jail! It'll create jobs for Americans. How to pay for it? Well if you start enforcing ALL immigration laws, illegals won't be able to get jobs or as many handouts, they'll have no choice but to leave or go to jail! This will free up millions to be used for continued enforcement, until they finally get the message: Illegal aliens are NOT welcome!

1. are you collecting a pay check from the tax payers

2. are you accountable to the tax payers

3. are you trying to pick and choose what laws you will enforce

4. maybe its time for you to re-evaluate your career choice and start working on your resume as a WalMart worker

@ AirborneSapper7

Originally Posted by American-ized

Immigration law will burden jail, sheriff says

Sarasota Herald Tribune
January 24, 2011 Monday
By Jeremy Wallace

If Florida passes tough new illegal immigration laws like Arizona's, Sarasota will be forced to build a new jail to deal with the new arrests, Sarasota's sheriff said.

Speaking to more than 120 people at a Sarasota Republican Club meeting, Sheriff Tom Knight said he agrees with the philosophy of getting illegal immigrants off the street, but realistically Sarasota County currently doesn't have the jail space to house them.

"Where are you going to put them and how are you going to pay for it?" Knight asked during the Thursday night meeting.

Knight, a Republican, said he has been able to get more than 160 illegal immigrants from 17 counties in the jail deported in the last two years to free up jail space. If deputies start checking the immigration status of people pulled over for routine traffic stops, he says the jail population will swell past the 1,026 inmates the jail can hold now.

"You as a community will have to pay for the bricks and mortar," Knight said.

Knight said the federal government has "dropped the ball" on illegal immigration.

He said if the federal government was doing its job correctly, Florida wouldn't have the illegal immigration problem it has.

But the solution, he said, should not be just something that forces local governments to build more jails.

Just two years ago, Knight said, he had 1,002 people in the jail -- near capacity.

He has been able to get the number down to 838, but says tougher state illegal immigration laws will make those populations swell as the county waits for the federal government to go through the deportation process.

The Legislature is considering a bill sponsored by State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, that will allow police to check the immigration status of people pulled over for traffic offenses and turn them over to federal authorities.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 54&start=1

what are you waitng for Pass it this is your State. not illegal Immigrants they don't like it . to bad this is American not Mex .
go back home this is Our Laws we don't go to Mexico & say we want this & that No way In hell . BS stand your ground Fl Pass that Bill
No Amnesty

Originally Posted by Pisces_2010

@ AirborneSapper7

you are right Pisces


no amnesty

I am missing something here? Don't they end up in ICE's detention centers? Illegals as well as some legal residents who are arrested for certian offenses or repeat offending get immigration holds which means immigration puts them in their detention centers.
The Sheriff is also not very bright. When Arizona passed their laws many illegals packed up and either moved to anothe state or went back home.

Yes immigrants are briefly held at Jails when they commit acts of crime until ICE have them picked up and taken to Detention Centers. Depends on the type of crime committed immigrants will serve jail sentences before they are released into ICE custody for deportation processing. However, if ICE detain immigrants they are taken to Detention Centers directly.

Knight, a Republican, said he has been able to get more than 160 illegal immigrants from 17 counties in the jail deported in the last two years to free up jail space. If deputies start checking the immigration status of people pulled over for routine traffic stops, he says the jail population will swell past the 1,026 inmates the jail can hold now.

He's as much of a Republican as Jeb Bush. I would call him a traitor. Only 160 illegals from 17 counties in a state overrun with illegals? Shame.

http://www.times-herald.com/Opinion/...grants-1438100

The system provides improved information sharing of fingerprints of persons charged with crimes, allowing the state to submit fingerprints to the FBI for checking against criminal records with the Department of Justice and immigration records of the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, immigrants convicted of the most serious crimes are supposed to be given priority attention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Since the enhanced program went into effect in October 2008, more than 50,600 immigrants with criminal convictions have been deported.

That's right - 50,000 in 2 years. Actually Cobb Co. had to build a new jail, and guess who they found working on the building? The outrage was enormous and the Sheriff actually started fingerprinting the workers as a result. Although we have more than enough illegals to make quality of life in GA miserable, Florida has even more.

Come on Florida - demand better because our state is contemplating an Arizona law and our half million illegals hopefully will be on the move soon. We will not accept any less and they know it - improve our quality of life here or you will be searching for another job. Hopefully, our illegals will then move and Florida has a lot of attraction for them, especially with Sheriffs like Knight.