Resolution calls for feds to pay Oklahoma's cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board wants the federal government to start paying the full cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants in the state prison system.


BY RANDY ELLIS rellis@opubco.com
Published: July 30, 2011

A divided state Pardon and Parole Board has passed a resolution asking the federal government to start paying the full cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants in the state prison system.

The state spends about $40,280 a day to house about 760 illegal immigrants within the state Corrections Department system, said board member Currie Ballard, author of the resolution.

That adds up to about $14.7 million a year.

It costs the Pardon and Parole Board an additional $156,000 or so a year to process those inmates, Ballard said.

That raises the state's total annual cost to nearly $15 million.

The state receives some federal reimbursement, but it is less than a tenth of that amount, officials said.

Ballard said he believes the federal government should pay the entire cost because the federal government — not the state — is responsible for patrolling the nation's borders.

“This is not Obama bashing. This is not immigrant bashing. I'm anti-immigrant bashing,â€