ImmigrationTexas bills government $349 million for illegal immigrants

Published 30 August 2011

Earlier this month in a letter to DHS secretary Janet Napolitano, Texas governor Rick Perry blamed the federal government for failing to secure the border and requested $349 million to help cover the costs of detaining illegal immigrants; when she was governor of Arizona, Napolitano would also regularly send the Department of Justice invoices seeking reimbursements for illegal immigration-related expenses by the state of Arizona

Earlier this month in a letter to DHS secretary Janet Napolitano, Texas governor Rick Perry blamed the federal government for failing to secure the border and requested $349 million to help cover the costs of detaining illegal immigrants.

Perry argued that because the federal government had not done its duty and secured the border, county jails and state prisons have been burdened by the additional costs of housing illegal immigrants.

“During tough economic times, when communities are making difficult decisions about their own budgets, Texas counties are being asked to cover more than $94.4 million in direct costs related to housing undocumented immigrants while the state has been left to cover more than $254.8 million in such costs,” Perry wrote.

He continued, “Therefore, on behalf of all the taxpaying citizens of Texas, I am respectfully submitting a reimbursement request in the amount of $349,283,453 for state and local costs of incarcerating illegal immigrants who are in the United States as a result of the federal government’s failure to properly secure our international borders.”

The letter was sent three days before Perry announced his presidential bid and critics say that it was part of an effort by the governor to protect himself against charges by conservatives that he has been too lenient on immigration issues.

Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a D.C.-based non-profit which calls for stricter immigration policies, writes in the National Review that the move is a “political stunt” meant to “distract attention from his bad immigration track record.”

As evidence, Krikorian points to Perry’s support of amnesty, his offering state subsidies for illegal immigrants attending state universities, and his opposition to requiring E-Verify’s use in state agencies.

Earlier this year, Arizona governor Jan Brewer sought to receive similar compensation from the federal government for the costs of detaining immigrants. It should be noted that Secretary Napolitano, who preceded Brewer as Arizona’s governor, would also regularly send the Department of Justice invoices seeking reimbursements for illegal immigration-related expenses by the state of Arizona.