Thread: cost of catching one illegal immigrant is $200

http://www.elpasotimes.com/breakingnews/ci_3962606

Article Launched: 6/21/2006 05:07 AM


Group: cost of catching one illegal immigrant is $200

By Louie Gilot / El Paso Times
El Paso Times

The American Civil Liberties Union revealed Tuesday that each undocumented immigrant apprehended by the Sheriff's Operation Linebacker cost the operation $200.
The figure comes from a March 22 internal memorandum by Assistant Chief Ralph Mitchell, who said it is “an excellent return on monies spent.”

The memo was requested by the ACLU under a Freedom of Information Act request. ACLU officials who had a press conference Tuesday said the memo and other documents demonstrate that Operation's Linebacker's primary concern is with catching undocumented immigrants. Sheriff's officials have said the effort targets criminals.

Operation Linebacker operates with state funding.

Louie Gilot may be reached at lgilot@elpasotimes.com; 546-6131.

That's like everything else, though. If you deal in volume, the price per item (illegal) would be less.

$200 each sounds dirt cheap compared to what they are ACTUALLY costing us in the long run.