Plan seeks space in prisons
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
By Staff
Immigrants could face deportation
Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand has put forward another option to free up space in the state's overcrowded prison system: Release some nonviolent illegal immigrants to U.S. immigration officials for deportation.
Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, estimates the move would save the prison system 100 to 150 beds a year. That translates into about $250,000 to $375,000 in savings a year.
Between that legislation and another Rand bill that appears likely to be approved — allowing for the release of seriously disabled nonviolent inmates — the state could free up space for about 300 inmates. That is in the range of a prison expansion project; a 252-bed, minimum-security addition that lawmakers authorized last year cost $13.2 million.
The majority of illegal immigrants in North Carolina prisons would not be eligible for release under Rand's plan. Correction Department spokesman Keith Acree said there are about 1,800 inmates in state prisons who do not claim U.S. citizenship; U.S. immigration officials want to deport 1,400 of them. (more…)
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