ACLU of Kentucky

An article in the Herald-Leader explores the hefty price tag attached to Senate Bill 6, an Arizona-style anti-immigration bill. The bill has already passed through the Senate.

The Pew Hispanic Center's best estimate on Kentucky's illegal immigrant population is 50,000, the aides said. For the purpose of the cost estimate, the aides assumed that one-third of the men and one-fourth of the women now here illegally could be convicted under the law. Those jailed could serve an average of 60 days at a cost of $33 a day.

Overall, Kentucky could face $90 million a year in new costs for local jails, state prisons, the foster-care system (for the children of jailed parents), the Administrative Office of the Courts and public defenders, the aides said.

This sum does not include additional police costs or lost revenue from the approximately two-thirds of illegal immigrants in the work force, many of whom pay sales and income taxes, the aides said.

Against that, Kentucky could save $50 million a year in education costs as illegal immigrants' children are deported or otherwise leave with their families and in reduced services through Medicaid and local health departments, the aides said.

The net cost to Kentucky would be $40 million.

The Herald-Leader also ran an editorial opposing the bill, in which they conclude that:

There are many reasons lawmakers should reject SB 6, starting with the fact that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.

The Kentucky State Police already have an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement designed to rid the state of illegal aliens who have committed serious crimes.

Getting other law enforcement agencies needlessly involved in time-consuming immigration enforcement that lends itself to racial profiling may make Kentuckians less safe by detracting from efforts to solve more serious crimes.

Yes, there are thousands of illegal aliens in Kentucky. To be blunt about it, some work wouldn't get done in some of the state's major industries without them.

And yes, our immigration laws should be enforced. But not through the spread of Arizona-style state laws supported around the country by private prison companies that hope to enhance their bottom line.

Because the bottom line for Kentucky is that we can't afford the cost of housing all prisoners convicted of the new crimes contained in SB 6.

Read the full text of the editorial here.