Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Feds to help pay cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants

North Las Vegas Police will be getting some help from the U.S. Department of Justice to pay the cost of housing undocumented criminal aliens.

The North Las Vegas City Council accepted a $99,442 grant Wednesday from the federal government to cover correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating illegal aliens who were arrested for crimes from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010.

The undocumented criminals were detained for at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law. They were incarcerated for at least four consecutive days during the reporting period.

Police Chief Joseph Chronister said the police department has applied and received the grant for the past 10 years.

“Often times we will house somebody that we have arrested that is an undocumented alien and as a result maybe we have to hold them longer until the federal government intervenes,” Chronister said.

He said the undocumented detainees represent a tiny fraction of the 9,800 criminals arrested in North Las Vegas from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010.

“(The grant) affords us the opportunity to pay overtime, if necessary, as a result of us having to house these folks,” said Chronister.

The grant can only go toward correctional purposes and Chronister said the police department plans to use the grant for security enhancements at the city’s detention facility.

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