Jail cashes in on Federal illegal immigrant detainees

September 21, 2009

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The housing of federal detainees is proving to be a money-maker for a county in central Nebraska.

Hall County has generated $1.25 million since December from a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The county hopes the contract will help offset the rising costs of its criminal justice system, which accounts for half of the county’s $45 million budget.

The new jail was designed so the county could house inmates or detainees from outside the county’s judicial system. The federal immigration contract calls for Hall County to hold up to 75 detainees a day.

The county projects it will collect $1.7 million this fiscal year from holding federal detainees.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090921/NEWS01/709219916