DeletedUser
BBC News said:US 'to cut immigrant detention'
US officials are expected to announce plans that would allow illegal immigrants not considered a threat to be taken out of prisons, reports say.
The new policy would list immigrants according to the risk they may pose, the Wall Street Journal reports. Detainees who are not criminals could be kept in hotels and nursing homes, according to leaks of the plans.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is expected to give details of the plans later. Her department is hoping to cut the costs of detaining immigrants, which stood at almost $2bn (£1.3bn) in 2008.
Health needs
Proposals for using alternatives to prison detention are expected to be submitted to Congress in the coming weeks. Until now, asylum seekers and other detainees who are not criminals or considered a risk have been kept in ordinary prisons.
The Wall Street Journal cited officials as saying the administration would ask the private sector for ideas, including for the construction of model facilities. The paper said the review would also tackle criticisms of the medical treatment given to detainees, and improve access to basic services including telephones.
The US administration will propose a screening system to flag up special medical or mental health needs of detainees, the paper said. Broad immigration reform is one of President Barack Obama's domestic priorities.
Efforts by his predecessor, George W Bush, to reform US immigration laws collapsed in 2007.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8292296.stm
What do you think of this article? I think it is great news.
- Less people in prison
- Less people getting medical operation form tax payers
- Less money being needed by the prison system to house them