Deportation bill makes it out of House committee

By ANDY BROWNFIELD

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Posted May 18, 2011 @ 04:41 PM



Nonviolent convicts in the United States illegally could face shorter sentences before deportation under a bill passed out of a House committee on Wednesday.

Currently, after an illegal immigrant serves a prison term for criminal activity, they are handed over to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

House Bill 306 would allow nonviolent offenders to be released early for deportation back to their home countries.
The legislation is an initiative of ICE, sponsor Rep. Randy Ramey, R-Carol Stream, said. The agency believes there are around 1,000 individuals who would qualify for the program, he said.

The estimated cost savings to the state would be around $25,000 per prisoner, Ramey said.

The proposal passed unanimously out of committee and will now go to the full House.

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