Milking the Gravy Train

Hope you read the Associated Press article today in the Northwest Herald on page 8A (or elsewhere) about the detention program for illegal aliens.

Many (most?) could be released on electronic monitoring at a cost of $13.00/day.

What does our Federal Government do? It runs up a $141.00/day average bill to house 32,000 undocumented workers in 280 facilities around the country, one of which is right up the street in Woodstock.

Last month I got to wondering again just what the number of detainees is at our County Jail. I had heard a while back that each one is worth $86.00/day to McHenry County Jail. WHAT? How come we aren't getting the other $56.00/day?

But why are we getting any at all? Does anyone remember what the pitch to the County Board was, as the reason for building an addition on the Jail?

What are the statistics on the prisoners right here in "River City"? How old is the oldest? How young is the youngest? For what crimes were they arrested, that they ended up in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unit? What is the length of the average stay? What is the longest period of time that a detainee has been held?

If the purpose of the ICE unit is to assure that a detainee will appear in court when ordered, then rattle somebody's cage and shake loose the order for him to appear. Get him his day in court, and get him out of the ICE unit.

Let the court decide what is to happen to him and them take care care of it. We're not running a hotel in McHenry County, except it seems that we are.

Are the guards respectful and courteous to prisoners? How many complaints, if any, have there been about mistreatment? How many lawsuits, if any, have been filed against McHenry County for mistreatment? Hopefully, none.

Who knows the answers and is brave enough to speak them?

There is always our friend, the FOIA Request.