Forsyth County commissioners, along with DA Tom Keith and Sheriff Bill Schatzman, took a little field trip to Mecklenburg County to see how the feds’ program for handling illegal immigrants works down there:
Sgt. Daniel T. Stitt of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office said that money has not been a problem.
Stitt said that local government has given the sheriff money to hire almost 20 new employees to handle the program. He said that the federal government has also given the jail new equipment for the program.
The county also gets money from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for holding illegal immigrants after they have completed their time at the jail.
Mecklenburg County is paid $109 a day for each qualifying inmate. Counties are given different amounts of money to hold these inmates. Forsyth County would be paid $62 a day.
Stitt said that ICE agents bring buses to the jail to pick up illegal immigrants between once and twice a week.
He makes no apologies for the program’s effectiveness.
“If you don’t want to be a part of this program, don’t get arrested,” he said. “Call it what you want to call it, but being here illegally is a crime.”
Commissioner Gloria Whisenhunt said the trip strengthened her support for the program in Forsyth, but cost remains an issue. Keith added that real change in the justice system comes with a heavy price tag, asking commissioners, “How much justice can you afford?”
