Report: Deportation Program Costs L.A. County More Than $26 Million

Colorlines
By: Jorge Rivas
Published: August 23, 2012
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Los Angeles County is spending an estimated $26 million a year to hold undocumented immigrants under the Secure Communities program, according to a report released Thursday by Justice Strategies. Secure Communities, also known as S-Comm, checks the legal status of anyone booked into a local jail and transfers those who are undocumented to ICE custody.

Among the report’s findings:

  • Los Angeles County taxpayers spend over $26 million per year to detain immigrants for ICE.
  • Individuals in Los Angeles County custody who are subject to immigration detainers spend, on average, 20.6 extra days in county custody.
  • California taxpayers spend an estimated $65 million annually to detain immigrants for ICE.
  • Based on L.A. County averages the report concludes S-Comm is costing the state an estimated $65 million.

Related Publication

JS Publication August 23, 2012

The Cost of Responding to Immigration Detainers in California

In our criminal justice system, detainers to hold individuals wanted by law enforcement agencies are issued by judges after they have reviewed the underlying circumstances leading to the request. Immigration detainers, or “ICE holds” are issued by ICE administrative officials without the benefit of judicial review. In this preliminary report, based on data from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Justice Strategies finds that the cost to Los Angeles of complying with these administrative requests is more than $26 million annually.