Montco Jail to House Deportees
Department of Homeland Security to pay for up to 60 beds at the facility.
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Some of the new space at the recently expanded Montgomery County Correctional Facility (MCCF) is going to be used by people on their way out of the United States.
The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved a resolution that paves the way for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to house up to 60 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees at the county jail.
The detainees will be people who have already been determined to be in the country illegally and are scheduled for deportation.
Forty of the beds at the jail in the Eagleville section of Lower Providence Township will be reserved for male deportees, and 20 for female deportees. According to Uri Monson, the county's chief financial officer, the average stay will be about three days, but some might not even stay the night.
"Some of these people might only be waiting a few hours for a plane," said Frank Custer, head of the county's communications office. "They may never make it out of a holding cell."
How much the DHS will pay the county for its use of the MCCF has not yet been determined. According to Monson, the cost of housing someone at the facility was estimated at $55 per day about 15 years ago and has not been recalculated since. Monson said the county is working to determine appropriate pricing for the use of the jail facilities.
"We're in the process of determining all the costs that go into a room," Monson said.
Commissioner Bruce Castor, however, said that when the county first examined the idea of housing ICE deportees at the jail, the cost per person had been estimated at about $90 per day.
"Since that time, the cost has gone up, and the ICE people are now in negotiation mode," Castor said in a press conference following the Board of Commissioners meeting.
Deportees will not be housed in a specific section of the jail; they would be housed wherever there is room.
"It's an endless supply," Castor said of the county's arrangement with the DHS. "[ICE] will never run out of people they need to deport."
Victor B. Krievins
6:50 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Its only fair that these illegals be deported ASAP! We need to clean up America for Americans.
Michael Curtis Sr
12:39 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
It is about time something was done to the " Invaders " of our state. They are " Felons " of the U.S.A. They have no rights in Pa or any other state let alone this country. To cut down on cost, give them a sleeping bag and a small pillow, no bed or anything else. They are not - immigrants - they are invaders. They violated the " U.S. Federal Laws " of this country. Port of Entry - 1459. They are " Illegal Aliens ". PA and DHS should " charge " the country in which the invader comes from the cost of eveything per each invader. Caster was right about one thing, DHS will never run out of ' Illegal Aliens " to put into the facility. They are all over this state, including Abington.
Victor B. Krievins
2:05 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
Maybe they can do work at the prison to help offset their cost of detainment. Perhaps we could plant a farm etc?
Michael Curtis Sr
1:45 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
If Obama would keep his " Promise to Secure the Borders & Oath of Office " we wouldn't need MCCF, And we all know he is full of CHEAP WORDS and BROKEN promises.
Lee
10:53 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
Is it naive to ask if illegal visitors are all coming from our southern or northern borders? How are they coming in? Our country, citizens and society are so precious, rare and in trouble. FTR I think the hispanic and asian communities are full of outstanding legal citizens who are acclimating and contributing to society, but we must get the illegal access under control it only makes common sense.