State Resolution Seeks Congressional Takeover Of Detention Center

April 9, 2007 07:27 PM EDT

A Texas lawmaker has called on the U.S. Congress to take control of the T. Don Hutto Detention Center in Taylor.

Austin state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez filed a resolution asking Congress to find an alternative to ensure illegal immigrants attend their hearings.

In the resolution, he said $1.2 billion is spent yearly on a facility that incarcerates as many children and babies as adults.

The American Civil Liberties Union has pushed for the resolution, arguing the detention center is inhumane and ineffective in curbing illegal immigration.

"There are a variety of alternatives, in fact several, that the federal government has investigated, done studies of," said Rebecca Bernhardt of ACLU of Texas. "We believe there are supervised release programs and the possibility of releasing these families into community environments."

The resolution would not create a new law but be a suggestion to Congress if passed.



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