CBS4 MIAMI
BY: JIM DEFEDE
CBS4 News was given an advance copy of a report detailing the impact of Miami-Dade County’s decision last year to hold in county jails, at county taxpayer expense, individuals federal immigration officials suspect of being in the country illegally. The county began detaining these individuals because Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he was afraid the Trump Administration would declare Miami-Dade a “sanctuary city” and withhold federal funding.
At the time, Gimenez said the cost of holding these prisoners was nominal – about $52,000 a year. But a year after the new policy was enacted, the CommunityJustice Project, the Florida Immigrant Coalition and WeCount! issued a report placing the cost at more than $13 million.