Prince William County’s crackdown on illegal immigrants costs the county about $1.3 million annually, even though a majority of immigrants being caught in the program didn’t commit any serious crimes beyond their immigration infractions, according to a report from the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. There are 800 illegal immigrants in the Prince William County jail identified as deportable under the so-called 287(g) program, which allows local police to enforce federal immigration laws. Despite assurances from the Obama administration that the program would focus on dangerous, violent criminals, however, more than half of those in custody in Prince William were arrested on misdemeanor charges or traffic violations, the report found.
“Looking at the 287(g) program, it is not clear if the Obama administration supports universal immigration enforcement and the goal of ‘attrition through enforcement’ or if it favors targeted enforcement that focuses on high-priority cases and directs resources to the greatest threats,” said the report’s co-author, Randy Capps.
Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart defended the county’s program and said that the distinction didn’t matter.
“I would disagree that we should only focus on violent criminals,” he said. “Illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be [deported], period, regardless of the crime. DUI is a serious offense that threatens public safety.”
The $1.3 million the county spends on immigration enforcement is chiefly to pay the 11 people dedicated to the program.
