Thread: N.J.: Housing illegals pays for county

Housing illegals pays for county
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
By SARAH CASSI
The Express-Times
EASTON | The U.S. Department of Justice is reimbursing Northampton County for housing illegal immigrants, who committed serious crimes, in 2006.

The county was awarded a nearly $50,000 grant from the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, county officials announced Tuesday.

The county was one of 801 entities to receive a grant out of 3,140 that applied, Corrections Director Todd Buskirk said.

"I think it's great. It's something we should be reimbursed for. It's a shame it isn't more," County Councilwoman Ann McHale said.

The money will go into the county's general fund and be used to offset the prison's operating costs, Buskirk said.

Buskirk said he did not know how many days the inmates spent in Northampton County prison but 79 inmate records were part of the application.

The county hired Justice Benefits Inc. of Dallas to search and apply for little-known federal grant programs, Buskirk said.

The company specializes in hard-to-find federal reimbursements for local and state entities.

http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/ ... xml&coll=2

How about deportation costs?!