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Immigrant sweep spurs prison, prosecutor rift
Saturday, October 15, 2005
By RUSS FLANAGAN
The Express-Times
EASTON -- The arrest of nearly three-dozen suspected illegal immigrants who were later sent to other prisons due to overcrowding at Northampton County Prison has sparked debate among two county officials.

Complaints from Director of Corrections Todd Buskirk about the cost of housing the prisoners annoyed District Attorney John Morganelli, who said Friday he will not look the other way when crimes are committed simply because the county prison is overcrowded.

"I'm really getting tired of hearing from the warden and county (that) whenever we enforce the law we are somehow costing taxpayers money," Morganelli said. "Everything we do costs taxpayers money I am not going to be intimidated by anybody in terms of breaking down and enforcing the law."

Buskirk said Thursday he might have to seek compensation from the district attorney's office or county to recoup the money spent on transporting some of the 32 suspected illegal immigrants to facilities in Philadelphia and Lackawanna counties.

Because of the overcrowding, Buskirk had to transfer 15 of the suspected illegal immigrants to Lackawanna County Prison in Scranton and 16 to Philadelphia, a move that will cost Northampton County about $50,000 a month if the prisoners are housed for an extended period of time.

The suspected illegal immigrants were all arrested Tuesday night at Molded Acoustical Products of Easton Inc. on charges they were using false or stolen Social Security numbers.

Morganelli said he couldn't worry about the cost to taxpayers every time he decides whether he should file charges. He said budgeting money wisely is the responsibility of each county department and agency.

"It's not my job to figure out for them where they get their money," he said. "My job is to know where to get money for the district attorney's office."

Morganelli said he called Buskirk after reading his comments to ask him if he knew about the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, a federal program that reimburses local and state governments for housing illegal immigrants for at least four consecutive days.

Morganelli said Buskirk told him he never heard of the program.

"It's obvious to me he doesn't know his job very well," Morganelli said.

Buskirk did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

According to an outline of the program, local officials must submit a written request to the U.S. attorney general, who then decides whether to award compensation. The program also stipulates it will only provide compensation for costs incurred for the housing of illegal immigrants who have been convicted of at least one felony or two misdemeanors at the state or local level.

When asked why he was aware of this program while other county officials were not, Morganelli said, "Because I do my homework, I do research."

Morganelli said prison officials are anxious to quickly move suspected illegal immigrants out of the prison because they don't consider identity theft and falsifying documents to be serious crimes. He warned that it takes time to learn the real identities of suspected illegal immigrants, some of whom may be wanted elsewhere for more serious crimes like murder and rape.

"The fear I have is that we rush them in and out so fast because we don't think it's a serious crime, I think it is," he said. "We have to take our time identifying these individuals."

Northampton County Judge Stephen G. Baratta said Friday those arrested might appear in court next week at the earliest.