Grand Jury Reports on Cost of Jailing Illegal Immigrants

A Santa Barbara County civil grand jury report on jail operating costs estimates that the county spent between $277,000 and $477,000 incarcerating illegal immigrants during the 2005-06 fiscal year. A total of 353 “bed days”-that is, instances in which a spot in a detention facility is filled by a person-went to non-citizens. The report calls for the assignment of a permanent Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer to the county jail.