IN TWO YEARS: $1,000,000 for illegal immigrants
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Action News uncovered the high costs for illegal immigrants staying at the Benton County jail. In the past two years, the county has paid more than a million dollars to house them.
This year, the number of locked up illegal immigrants has remained steady--- with about 22 behind bars at any given time. Officials say it's their responsibility to house these inmates - all for the community's safety.
"It's our job to enforce the law. And we don't for immigrant laws; that's the job of the federal government. But if somebody is arrested for a criminal charge, that's the Benton County's Sheriff's Office duty to house them," said Benton County Jail Commander Jon Law.
And the cost to house an illegal immigrant each day is $68,
This year, the number of locked up illegal immigrants has remained steady--- with about 22 behind bars at any given time. Officials say it's their responsibility to house these inmates - all for the community's safety.
"It's our job to enforce the law. And we don't for immigrant laws; that's the job of the federal government. But if somebody is arrested for a criminal charge, that's the Benton County's Sheriff's Office duty to house them," said Benton County Jail Commander Jon Law.
And the cost to house an illegal immigrant each day is $68,
It is refreshing to see that a local new media is finally alerting the public to the costs of illegals. Of course the cost to the state overall is 1.3 billion dollars a year, ironically the same amount we are in the hole. But cost is nothing compared to the danger we are in from Mexican drug cartels entrenched in almost every state in the nation. Richland is on the list for an established cartel. The party that kicked God out seems to not have a problem welcoming this dangerous element into our community. If the border is so secure as they keep saying, how can we have 22 illegals on any given day in the Benton Co jail? Â http://www.npr.org/news/graphics/2009/mar/mexico_cartel/index.html
cost per day after deportation 0 $. whats the problem?
 @common sense The problem is they come back.
Put them on a plane outta here!
 @Evergreen And give them a free vacation to Mexico for a couple of weeks then they are back up here.
@Evergreen totally agree.This non-sense of spending local taxpayer dollars that house illegals is stupid.Change the state law....A law against the country should be upheld!!!!!! Why waste taxpayer dollars on someone that has already broken our laws......Help guard our borders-cooperation-what a concept-and less jail space
 But our bleeding heart liberal state government panders to them.  So instead of deporting them, they actually welcome them to our state.