Border Detentions in Southern Arizona Rack Up a Whopping $2B Tab Over the Last Decade

Taxpayers started footing the bill for housing Ivan Moreno Miranda shortly after a Border Patrol agent caught him on January 14. Moreno Miranda crossed the border illegally near Douglas after being deported in 2013, court records indicate. The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against him, and he was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service by January 17, with a daily detention cost of around $80.

The expenses for detaining Moreno Miranda continued to grow until Thursday when federal Judge Raner C. Collins sentenced him to time served. After four months in custody, the cost of housing Moreno Miranda amounted to approximately $9,600. The figures for such detention costs can escalate rapidly.

Another case involved David Borrayo Fajardo, caught in October near Ajo, crossing the border illegally shortly after a previous deportation. He had a criminal record dating back to the early 1990s, which included aggravated assault at the age of 19, according to court documents.

Fajardo’s attorney required more preparation time, extending the proceedings three months longer than Moreno Miranda’s case. After seven months in custody, Borrayo Fajardo’s detention cost reached roughly $16,800. From 2007 to 2016, housing individuals on immigration-related charges in Southern Arizona cost taxpayers over $1.8 billion, according to data obtained by the Arizona Daily Star.

The Marshals Service spent $1.1 billion in Southern Arizona on similar charges from fiscal years 2007-2015. More than 90% of the funds, about $1 billion, were allocated to the Central Arizona Detention Center in Florence, operated by CoreCivic. During the same period, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spent $760 million detaining people for immigration violations in Southern Arizona.

Currently, the Federal Bureau of Prisons houses 2,825 immigration offenders who were sentenced in Arizona, costing $98 million annually. About 266 of these offenders are housed within Arizona, incurring an annual cost of $9.2 million. Additionally, Arizona sheriff’s departments spent $335 million from fiscal years 2009-16 housing illegal immigrants convicted of state and local crimes, as per the Arizona Sheriffs Association.

Overall, detaining illegal immigrants in Southern Arizona exceeded $2 billion over the past decade, excluding Border Patrol holding facilities. ICE’s annual detention costs in Southern Arizona quadrupled to $96 million from fiscal years 2007-2016. Meanwhile, detention costs for the Marshals Service grew by 50% to $141 million in fiscal year 2015.

Costs are anticipated to rise further due to the February 20 directive from Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to end “catch-and-release” practices. Kelly instructed ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to maximize their detention capabilities near the Mexico border. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions also directed federal prosecutors to prioritize immigration-related crimes to deter first-time illegal entries.

The Tucson federal court is expected to see an increase in felony prosecutions of immigration crimes following new plea agreement guidelines. Defense attorney F. Michael Carrillo commented, “From a defense attorney’s perspective, it’s job security. From a human perspective, it’s a scam. It’s heartbreaking.” Many of his clients’ criminal histories consist predominantly of immigration violations.

Despite spending $760 million of taxpayer money, ICE declined to provide the number of detainees in Southern Arizona or the daily cost to house a detainee. The Border Patrol and the U.S. Attorney’s Office also did not respond to requests for detailed information.

The lack of transparency prompted the Star to use defense lawyer interviews, agency reports, and court records to outline the immigration detention system in Southern Arizona. Illegal immigrants often follow criminal or administrative paths through the system. If criminal charges are filed, defendants are handed over to the U.S. Marshals while their cases are prosecuted.

About one-third of those apprehended by the Border Patrol in the Tucson Sector face criminal charges. Fast-track prosecution programs like Operation Streamline resolve many cases within days. In contrast, cases like Borrayo Fajardo’s may follow a complex, lengthy process.

ICE may handle detainees released from county jails or those who weren’t criminally charged. During fiscal years 2007-2015, ICE processed 110,000 administrative arrests in Arizona. Detainees’ time in ICE custody varies based on appeals, asylum applications, or delays in receiving travel documents from their home countries.

Under expedited removal, Border Patrol agents can deport individuals without involving immigration courts. In fiscal year 2014, about half of Tucson Sector apprehensions led to expedited removal, 26% to prosecutions, and 12% to voluntary returns or notices to appear.

ICE detailed its detention spending in Southern Arizona for fiscal years 2013-2016. Over $167 million was allocated to an agency-owned facility in Florence, $136 million to CoreCivic’s Eloy facility, $66 million to CoreCivic’s Florence facility, and $15 million to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. The Marshals Service utilizes 3,420 beds at CoreCivic facilities and 293 beds at the Federal Correctional Institution-Tucson.

Despite criticisms of CoreCivic over in-custody deaths and profit motivations, the facilities remain essential for handling the volume of detainees. Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal in Arizona, Fidencio Rivera, stated, “We couldn’t do our jobs without them.” The company’s medical facility has also reduced the need for costly hospital guard duties.

Contact reporter Curt Prendergast at 573-4224 or cprendergast@tucson.com. On Twitter: @CurtTucsonStar