Thread: Greeley, CO DA and Sheriff rebut NCLR study

I am proud to see our local DA and local Sheriff coming to the front to rebut the recent NCLR "Urban Institute Report" Check out this video/press conference:

http://www.greeleytribune.com/video.html

Follow on article in todays edition of the Greeley Tribune:

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071102/NEWS/111020132

Sheriff says illegal immigrants in jail are costly

The price tag of housing illegal immigrants at the Weld County Jail reads more than $1.7 million per year, Sheriff John Cooke said at a press conference Thursday.

Cooke and Weld District Attorney Ken Buck called the conference in response to Wednesday's Urban Institute report, which indicated a high negative impact on the children of men and women arrested in immigration raids last year in Greeley and other cities.

The Urban Institute -- a nonprofit, policy research and education organization -- stated children suffered both economic and emotional stress when one or both of their parents were arrested in the raids. The report also stated that the majority of the children affected were in two-parent families where one parent was detained. Twenty-one of the people arrested in the raids were released the same day because they were caregivers for their children.

"What the Urban Institute study left out was that every one of the 252 people arrested here committed a crime (in addition to being in the United States illegally)," Buck said Thursday. "They were targeted for deportation, and no children were left parentless."

Buck stated that any parent who commits a crime has put their choices above their family. And in the case of illegal aliens, 'Those individuals chose to come here illegally."

Cooke supplied a list he called the "consequences of illegal aliens," stating more than 90 percent of the methamphetamines in this area come from south of the border, and the number of illegal immigrants puts a burden on an already crowded jail.

Cooke stated that in October, 885 people were booked into the Weld County Jail; of those, 145 were born in a foreign country, and 113 -- or 12 percent of the total -- were illegal immigrants. In September, the illegal immigrants totaled 15 percent of the jail population. He noted that the total jail population at this time is 563 inmates and 81 -- or 14.4 percent -- have Immigration and Customs Enforcement holds on them.

An ICE hold means that the immigration officers would take custody of the inmates -- and likely deport them -- after their crime is adjudicated and sentence served.

Cooke noted it costs the county $58 per day to house each inmate. That totals more than $1.7 million per year for the 81 illegal immigrants; $10.2 million for legal inmates.

The sheriff said an ICE officer began working at the jail three months ago and that increased the number of ICE holds up to 15 percent from a previous total of 6 percent to 9 percent.

Cooke said the jail can recoup some of the money spent on illegal immigrant inmates through federal grants, "but that is only a small percentage, such as $200,000 or so."

To see the video, click on the link below.

www.greeleytribune.com/video.html

Originally Posted by duece212

I am proud to see our local DA and local Sheriff coming to the front to rebut the recent NCLR "Urban Institute Report" Check out this video/press conference:

http://www.greeleytribune.com/video.html

Follow on article in todays edition of the Greeley Tribune:

http://greeleytrib.com/article/20071102/NEWS/111020132

Sheriff says illegal immigrants in jail are costly

The price tag of housing illegal immigrants at the Weld County Jail reads more than $1.7 million per year, Sheriff John Cooke said at a press conference Thursday.

Cooke and Weld District Attorney Ken Buck called the conference in response to Wednesday's Urban Institute report, which indicated a high negative impact on the children of men and women arrested in immigration raids last year in Greeley and other cities.

The Urban Institute -- a nonprofit, policy research and education organization -- stated children suffered both economic and emotional stress when one or both of their parents were arrested in the raids. The report also stated that the majority of the children affected were in two-parent families where one parent was detained. Twenty-one of the people arrested in the raids were released the same day because they were caregivers for their children.
Of course, children of ALL criminals suffer the same, doesn't mean the parents get a get out of jail free card.

"What the Urban Institute study left out was that every one of the 252 people arrested here committed a crime (in addition to being in the United States illegally)," Buck said Thursday. "They were targeted for deportation, and no children were left parentless."

Buck stated that any parent who commits a crime has put their choices above their family. And in the case of illegal aliens, 'Those individuals chose to come here illegally."

Cooke supplied a list he called the "consequences of illegal aliens," stating more than 90 percent of the methamphetamines in this area come from south of the border, and the number of illegal immigrants puts a burden on an already crowded jail.

Cooke stated that in October, 885 people were booked into the Weld County Jail; of those, 145 were born in a foreign country, and 113 -- or 12 percent of the total -- were illegal immigrants. In September, the illegal immigrants totaled 15 percent of the jail population. He noted that the total jail population at this time is 563 inmates and 81 -- or 14.4 percent -- have Immigration and Customs Enforcement holds on them.

An ICE hold means that the immigration officers would take custody of the inmates -- and likely deport them -- after their crime is adjudicated and sentence served.

Cooke noted it costs the county $58 per day to house each inmate. That totals more than $1.7 million per year for the 81 illegal immigrants; $10.2 million for legal inmates.

The sheriff said an ICE officer began working at the jail three months ago and that increased the number of ICE holds up to 15 percent from a previous total of 6 percent to 9 percent.

Cooke said the jail can recoup some of the money spent on illegal immigrant inmates through federal grants, "but that is only a small percentage, such as $200,000 or so."

To see the video, click on the link below.

www.greeleytribune.com/video.html