According to Secretary Harry Singletary of the Florida Department of Corrections. approximately 67 percent of the States prison population. or 3.433 out of approximately 50.000 inmates. are criminal aliens and cost Florida an estimated $58.6 million annually. As New York Governor Mario Cuomo wrote in a letter to me on November 16. It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to prevent illegal immigration. When the Federal Government fails at this task. the ensuing costs remain a federal responsibility. In particular. the financial burden of incarcerating illegal alien felons have been borne exclusively by states. straining our criminal justice budgets and prison systems. Governor Cuomo estimates that 2.600 criminal aliens are housed in New York State prisons. Texas Governor Ann Richards adds. * * * the Texas prison system houses some 2.000 criminal aliens who illegally crossed the United States border with Mexico permitted by weak efforts of the Federal Government to control its border.
Keywords matched
illegal immigration illegal alien