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| Proposal would house prisoners in Mexico | |||
| 2005-02-17 | |||
The idea was promoted as a way to reduce the state's heavy costs in imprisoning the 3,600 to 4,000 illegal immigrants in Arizona prisons who have been convicted of crimes. Opponents questioned whether the state has the legal authority to move the foreign prisoners to Mexico. In any event, a proposal (HB2709) to have the state seek proposals for such prison cleared its first hurdle Wednesday at the Arizona Legislature in a 4-2 vote by a House committee. The bill is one of many moving through the Legislature that tries to confront the problems caused by illegal immigration. More than any other state in recent years, Arizona has been dogged by a heavy flow of illegal immigrants after the government tightened enforcement in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego during the mid-1990s. Several Arizona lawmakers have said the federal government hasn't done enough to confront illegal immigration and therefore has dumped massive costs on the state. Gov. Janet Napolitano has recently billed the federal government for nearly $118 million in unreimbursed costs for imprisoning illegal immigrants. The Mexico prison idea was proposed in the 1990s but shelved, partly due to legal concerns. It was revived in 2003 to help cover budget shortfalls but was rejected by a key legislative committee. "We really lose nothing but we set the table with what is a reasonable proposal," said Republican Rep. Russ Jones of San Luis, sponsor of the bill. Democratic Rep. Ted Downing of Tucson, an opponent of the proposal, said the bill raises questions about jurisdiction, such as which government would have the ability to seek prisoners if they escape from such a prison.
"This is a creative idea and worthy of exploration," said Republican Rep. Bill Konopnicki of Safford. Still, Konopnicki said he's not sure the idea would prevail if it were considered by the full House.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #14 build the "friendship fence™" and the problem diminishes greatly. Employer arrests and incarceration and national-standard DL's.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-02-17 3:39:23 PM |
| #13 Only if we can send their enablers there as well.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-02-17 3:12:27 PM |
| #12 Assuming this could be done, which I doubt, you have one big logistical problem. How far can you build it from the American border so that: a) we can oversee that it is being run to a certain acceptable standard (more or less American standard, not Mexican...as much as you might want that, keep in mind they're our prisoners and the last thing we really need is another excuse for the ACLU/Middle Ground crowd to have even a ghost of a chance to bring suit, claiming it's another Abu Ghraib and crap like that), and b) far enough away from the American border that it would be a pain in the ass to try to come back in should the prisoners escape or are released. |
| Posted by: Desert Blondie 2005-02-17 3:07:54 PM |
| #11 How do you prevent escapes? 1. Payment delivered only after prisoner has served his term. 2. Three time daily retina scans so no one takes an extended vacation and shows back up on the release day. 3. Give revocable green cards to certain members of Mexican staff. |
| Posted by: Penguin 2005-02-17 2:19:34 PM |
| #10 Let's do it. I nominate Lyndie England as head warden! AzCat's right though, this would only let the Mexican gov't get a hold of some State cash. I don't think this would work. Now, sending 'em to Gitmo, I'm open to that suggestion. |
| Posted by: BA 2005-02-17 11:13:58 AM |
| #9 Nice thought, AZCat, but it wouldn't do any good. Too few illegals are actually caught for it ot do more than deter those who have had bad luck or would be crossing close to where the prison is located. |
| Posted by: Jame Retief 2005-02-17 7:31:50 AM |
| #8 Why do I now have a vision of a hellishly uncomfortable prison for illegals that buts up right against and is wide open to the Mexican border? |
| Posted by: AzCat 2005-02-17 6:53:57 AM |
| #7 If they escape into Mexico, our objective will be met. Pass a law that escapees who cross back into the U.S. automatically receive the death penalty, without opportunity for appeal, and the problem should keep itself away. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-02-17 5:51:29 AM |
| #6 Well, the next big NAFTA opportunity is obvious: the illegal catch / release graft game. My guess is that if its ever built the actual population in that prison will approach zero and Mexican authorities will be bussing "escapees" back to the US border. |
| Posted by: AzCat 2005-02-17 3:31:35 AM |
| #5 Steve, I believe for a while there was a camp on Christmas Island, which is an Australian territory. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-02-17 1:58:35 AM |
| #4 That was Nauru, an independent nation, and a failed state through financial mismanagement. (Nauru had plenty of money thru phosphate royalties, and blew it on bad real estate deals, and the like.) But from Australia's POV, the plan- illegals in boats are intercepted at sea and never allowed to reach our hallowed soil- works just fine. They can go home with a bit of cash incentive or stare out to sea forever. Autralia is not an option. I should add that they are checked out very thoroughly, and genuine refugees do get in. Most are not. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2005-02-17 1:50:53 AM |
| #3 Didn't the Aussies own that obscure island, or is my always-poor memory failing me yet again? |
| Posted by: Steve White 2005-02-17 1:26:13 AM |
| #2 It worked for Australia, which set up a camp on Pacific state so obscure I can't even remember the name of it. Illegal entry into Oz is now zero. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-02-17 1:00:41 AM |
| #1 Adminster ten lashes to illegal border-crossers when they are caught, and ten more to illegals that end up committing an additional crime while here, then deport them. They won't come back. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-02-17 12:23:03 AM |