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Media Relations Office:
Director Dora Schriro's Letter to the Regional Director of ICE Regarding Pending Deportations July 6, 2005 Roberto Medina, Special Agent
in Charge Dear Mr. Medina: Governor Napolitano recently discussed with Secretary Chertoff ways to achieve timely deportation of eligible foreign national inmates confined by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). Arizona taxpayers and ADC welcome the Secretary's offer to train state correctional personnel to assist Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) staff with the deportation process. Today, ADC has approximately 544 inmates that have actually completed their sentences and could be deported tomorrow. These 544 inmates cost Arizona taxpayers approximately $27,000 a day. Additionally, 200 of these inmates lack only the signature of an ICE supervisor to be deported. Finally, there are another 400 inmates who could be deported by the end of the year if ICE completed the deportation process in a timely manner. Arizona taxpayers should not continue to pay incarceration costs for these individuals once their criminal sentences have been completed. The training of state personnel to augment the efforts of federal agents could help expedite the process of deporting undocumented aliens to their home countries and we are ready to do whatever we can to move these individuals as soon as they are eligible. As you know, however, not all duties may be delegated or shared such as approving the transfers and in these instances, we will rely wholly on your agency for relief. Cordially, Dora Schriro |
