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Orange County seeks higher federal payments for housing ICE detainees
Leaders in Orange County are pressing the federal government to increase reimbursement rates for inmates housed at the county jail on behalf of U.S. immigration authorities.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Leaders in Orange County are pressing the federal government to increase reimbursement rates for inmates housed at the county jail on behalf of U.S. immigration authorities.
For six months, county officials have sought to renegotiate their agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service, which oversees payments for detainees held for federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
What they're saying:
County officials say the Marshals Service reimburses $88 per day for each ICE detainee, while the actual cost to house an inmate is about $180 per day.
That leaves a $92 daily shortfall per detainee, which officials say has resulted in more than $333,000 in unreimbursed costs borne by local taxpayers.
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Mayor Jerry Demings said the current rate is no longer reasonable and places an unfair financial burden on residents. In a Feb. 13 letter to federal officials, Demings warned that if a fair agreement is not reached, the county could terminate the contract.
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"It is my intent that every dollar that we have spent to house the federal inmates, we will seek to get those dollars back," Demings said at a recent meeting, calling the situation a breakdown in coordination between local and federal law enforcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service has since responded, signaling a willingness to negotiate a higher reimbursement rate but requesting additional time. Demings said the county will give federal officials until the end of March to reach a new agreement.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Orange County and the U.S. Marshals Service.