County Wants Feds To Pay Illegal Immigration Costs

POSTED: 2:50 pm PDT September 25, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- The federal government owes San Diego County over $100 million, according to the county Board of Supervisors, for failing to address illegal immigration. The whopping price tag is the result of report presented to the board Tuesday.

The study was conducted by John Weeks, a professor at San Diego State University and director of the school's International Population Center, at the request of the Board of Supervisors. Weeks' report showed that county services such as law enforcement, health care and education are being provided to illegal immigrants and taxpayers are footing the bill.

"We can't stop the problem but we have to pay for it. So, I think our citizens have the right to be reimbursed," Supervisor Bill Horn told NBC 7/39.

According to the study, direct expenditures in the 2006-07 fiscal year totaled $101.5 million, with nearly half that amount being spent by the Sheriff's Department to house inmates in jails. The county was reimbursed $2.3 million by the federal government.

"If you're going to have a failed policy then you ought to pay for it. That's all we're really asking for. I'm not asking to deport everybody," Horn said.

Supervisor Diane Jacob said, "It's a travesty and it's this federal government just robbing the people, the taxpayer in San Diego County because of their failures to take proper action.

"That's money we could be spending on others things -- fixing our roads, our libraries, our parks, our trails," she said.

Supervisor Greg Cox said the government has a program to reimburse local governments for illegal immigration costs, but he said President George W. Bush has not provided funds for years.

The supervisors will pass the invoice on to Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray who will introduce the idea to legislators. A bill will also be sent to President Bush.

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