Thread: Jailed illegal immigrants cost taxpayers thousands

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... 331&z=3&p=

COLLIER COUNTY: NBC2 investigators found out American taxpayers are shelling out thousands of dollars a day for illegal immigrants to spend time in jail. NBC2 found out it costs taxpayers in Collier County $8.5 million each year to pay for illegal immigrants in jail. We took the results of our investigation to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to find out why.

In Collier County, it is Sheriff Don Hunter's job to make sure taxpayer money is wisely spent when it comes to law enforcement.

Something troubles Hunter and he thinks it will trouble taxpayers too.

"I think they're going to be as surprised as I was when I looked to see how many people were in our jail who might admit to being illegally present," said Hunter.

Sheriff Hunter started counting the number of people arrested and booked into his jail who admitted they were illegal immigrants.

We picked a random day and asked Hunter for a head count. On January 26th, out of a total population of 1167 inmates, 283 admitted they were illegal.

The estimated cost of housing one inmate per day is $82.06. Multiply that by 283 and you find out Collier county taxpayers paid $23,222 to house those illegal immigrants on that day.

The yearly figure is astounding - $8.5 million, or about 22 percent of the total jail budget.

Illegals stay in county jails throughout the court process, and if convicted, they serve jail time at county taxpayer expense.

That enrages Russ Landry of Citizens Against Illegal Immigrants.

"I don't believe that the country should have to pay for illegal immigrants here that are multi-times arrested each and every day," said Landry.

We drove to Tampa to take up the issue with the special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Robert Weber.

NBC2: It's kind of a perception maybe, that when someone is picked up here illegally, that the process is to move them out.

Weber: There's not a blanket statement that if you're picked up for whatever crime or issue it was, that you're going to be deported.

In fact, US law keeps them here. They are allowed due process of law under the current law of the United States.

Sister Maureen Kelleher is a legal aid attorney. She represents farm workers in Immokalee.

"It would be fool-hardy to just have an allegation without a conviction," said Kelleher.

The conviction creates a record which should keep that illegal immigrant from ever getting a Visa. Some would argue that with the conviction, the illegal should be sent packing. But should they pay a debt to society first?

"I'm born in this country I have to do 8 months, solid lock up. He's born in Mexico, broke our law to come here, and he's walking out of here," said Kelleher.

"If it's a crime that they've been arrested for by the state you let that process run through. As far as them serving their state crime, time for the crime, and then we move in with deportation orders," said Weber.

Until then, the cost is shouldered locally.

Sheriff Hunter is so concerned, he took his numbers to Washington DC and lobbied high level staffers for the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

"Congress needs to get the message that we should not tolerate this. This is a heavy, heavy burden for taxpayers," said Hunter.

Not all jails keep track of their number of illegal immigrants because they are not required to, but according to Homeland Security, 630,000 illegal immigrants are booked into our jails and prisons every year. It costs Americans almost $1.5 billion a year.

Well, let's not deport--- the jails in Mexico are too harsh!

But then again, Mexico just releases them so they can come back to the US and commit crimes again. This must be a new kind of stealth war we're in.

I say hold back our aid to Mexico to pay the cost for their criminals, it sounds like it would come out about even!!! Come on something has to give here!!

SOSADFORUS,

You are way too logical! Maybe if we start thinking like government bureaucrats, we'll figure this all out!

Originally Posted by olivermyboy

SOSADFORUS,

You are way too logical! Maybe if we start thinking like government bureaucrats, we'll figure this all out!

Really, I can see why your sick of my name, it really is long isn't it, geeez jut cut it down to( SO), it really says alot about my attitude most of the time anyway, don't you think!!