Posted on 01/03/2009 3:30:51 PM PST by reaganaut1
SEATTLE—Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire wants illegal immigrants serving time in state jails deported, a move intended to save the state more than $9 million in the next two-year budget.
The deportation proposal is modeled after a program in Arizona that has saved the state more than $18.5 million since 2005, said Eldon Vail, Secretary of the state Department of Corrections.
"It's not an ideal choice, if revenue was there, I'd say have them do their time," Vail said. "Is justice better served? It's a tough question to wrestle with when you don't have resources."
The state faces a $5.7 billion budget deficit over the next 2 1/2 years, and Gregoire has proposed a no new-taxes budget proposal laden with cuts, including about $200 million from the Department of Corrections, the Attorney General's office, and other public safety programs.
The deportation proposal would call for the state to come to an agreement with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, which would carry out the deportations. Those eligible for deportation include aliens serving time in state jails for drug or property crime convictions.
In Washington state, there are about 350 prisoners who would be eligible to be transferred to federal authorities. On average, it costs the state $90 a day to imprison an inmate, Vail said.
Gregoire's proposal represents a policy shift toward illegal immigrants from a state that had largely stayed away from immigration enforcement. Washington state, with its large agricultural industry, attracts a large number of undocumented workers, mostly from Mexico.
State Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Renton, who chairs the Ways and Means committee, said she will oppose the measure. The veteran lawmaker is also worried other programs that provide humanitarian aid to illegal immigrant women and their children may be proposed to be cut.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Unbelievable?!!!
We need Captain Obvious.
If we deport them they slip back across the border. I have no idea what the answer is, but paying to house, feed and give medical care to these people isn’t the answer.
Think about it this way. You go down to Mexico and rob someone or kill someone while driving drunk and the only punishment you face is getting sent back to the US.
Not a bad deal when all you have to do to return and commit the same crime is to cross the border again.
Except that’s not what they do to us south of the border. Probably get the nose hose full of soda pop.
Yes, Yes, deport them, but AFTER they serve the time for whatever crime they commited.
they will just be back in town in a couple of weeks if they are just deported....
So a citizen gets 5 years for a particular crime and the illegal alien gets deported. If I was that alien, the 1st place I'd go after sneaking back accross the border would be right back to Washington where I can do my criminal deeds with only the threat of deportation.
I don't know the answer either but this scenario seems possible.
They need to serve their time otherwise what’s the point?
Yes. Keep them incarcerated. But place them in tent cities eating bologna sandwiches and working road sides picking up trash.
They need to serve their time otherwise what’s the point?
Yes. Keep them incarcerated. But place them in tent cities eating bologna sandwiches and working road sides picking up trash.
I.E. We would much rather the tax payer pay for their incarceration, but we're running out of ideas to keep government employees.....errrr....employed.
I’ve been thinking about this since the article came out last week. They will come right back. Maybe a better idea would be to take them to DC, cuff them at the capital and toss congress the keys.
Be in any other country illegally (even Canada) and see how you’re NOT treated like you won some game show. You’ll be lucky of you’re turned over to our embassy, who will see to it that you’re headed home.
I’m surprised Gov. Gwar doesn’t send them to her house to do landscaping, and whatever work her husband may wisely refuse to do.
For one thing it is get out of jail free card, you arrest them, you try them and you sentence them, but instead of jail you deport them to Mexico, where Chertoff levee’s and private lakes, will aid their reentry in about 48 hours.
I posted the answer her several years ago. Contract their housing to Russia, they have a lot of unused space in Siberia. Food and shelter would probably be 10 cents on the dollar. When they have finished their sentence, they will not be interested in repeating the education.
On the good of society side, these criminals will not be punished for the crimes they have committed and most likely will be back in the U.S. almost as soon as they get released. The gamble is what crime they will commit next time.
If I was DHS I would agree to deport if the state got on board for the big win with the rest of the illegal population. Otherwise I would only deport after the criminal aliens served their time.
Actually contracting them to Mexico might work. Pay Mexico what it costs them to house their criminals plus 10% under the table to some crooked Mexican official (redundant term acknowledged). Our health costs to these vermin is breaking our health care systems as well as state budgets.
A lot of states are discontinuing benefits to illegals. If Washington needs to cut its budget then why don't they start with the people that don't belong here?
As an aside, I just moved to Washington State and have a disabled son. We are currently on a two year waiting list for services to help him while illegals get free medical care.
Very clever! I wonder who thought of that?
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