Sequestration could affect local jails

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced the Department of Homeland Security has begun releasing hundreds of illegal immigrants from jails across the country.

According to the New York Times, jails in states like Georgia, Florida, and Alabama have already released detainees.

Representatives like Alabama State Senator Jeff Sessions said the move is outrageous and politically motivated.  

“The last thing you would do to meet a budget cut of this size would be to voluntarily undertake actions that undermine the rule of law and endanger the public safety,” Sessions said.

In less than a week, mandatory budget cuts are set to go into effect.

The Obama administration has been issuing dire warnings about the impact of the Sequestration.

“"In a few days, Congress might allow a series of immediate, painful, arbitrary budget cuts to take place, known in Washington as the sequester. Now that's a pretty bad name-sequester-but the effects are even worse than the name,” said President Obama, during a visit to a Virginia shipyard.

The cuts to DHS are just one of the first visible signs of the Sequestration.

CE has refused to release detailed information about which jails have been impacted and how many illegal immigrants have and will be released.

Officials instead released a general statement, which reads:

 “In order to make the best use of our limited detention resources in the current fiscal climate and to manage our detention population under current congressionally mandated levels, ICE has directed field offices to review the detained population to ensure it is in line with available funding. As a result of this review, a number of detained aliens have been released around the country and placed on an appropriate, more cost-effective form of supervised release. ICE is continuing to prosecute their cases in immigration court, and when ordered, will seek their removal from the country.”

It is unclear if any illegal immigrants have been released from jails along the Gulf Coast; although several jails, including Baldwin County, contract with the Federal Government to hold illegal immigrants.

We contacted the Baldwin Sheriff’s Office, but have not heard back.