Thread: Lawmakers pass legislation to deport illegal aliens from sta

Lawmakers pass legislation to deport illegal aliens from state prisons

By Associated Press
11:56 AM CST, February 18, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Legislation to allow the deportation of illegal immigrants being held in state prisons has received preliminary approval.

The bill's author, Rep. Randy Terrill of Moore, says it would shift the financial burden of imprisoning illegal immigrant violators from the state to the federal government. Terrill says it will immediately save the state more than $3 million.

The bill would allow the Department of Corrections to send illegal immigrant inmates to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Only inmates incarcerated for nonviolent crimes who have served at least half their sentence would qualify.

There are 166 offenders in state prisons that would be immediately eligible for transfer.

The bill was approved Wednesday by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Judiciary and Public Safety

http://www.kfsm.com/news/sns-ap-ok-xgr- ... 6402.story

Illegal immigrant Oklahoma prison costs targeted by bill
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT
Published: February 19, 2009Buzz up!

A bill to move some illegal immigrants in state prisons into federal jurisdiction passed a House subcommittee Wednesday.

Rep. Randy Terrill, the bill’s author, said the measure would save the state more than $3 million in the upcoming fiscal year.

House Bill 2245 would allow the state to send inmates who are in this country illegally to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. It would apply to criminals incarcerated for nonviolent crimes who have served at least half their sentence in state prison.

Terrill, R-Moore, said his bill would shift the financial burden to the federal government for imprisoning criminals who are illegal immigrants.

Terrill said state Corrections Department figures show 166 offenders would meet the conditions of HB 2245. The state pays about $20,000 per year to house each inmate, putting the immediate annual savings at more than $3 million.

"The other advantage is you immediately free up those 166 bed spaces to hold more violent criminals,â€