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ICE detainees mean money for Scott County, MO

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By Holly Brantley - email

BENTON, MO (KFVS) - Persistence pays off for the Scott County Sheriff's Department and in turn brings thousands of dollars to the county.  They're bringing in ICE detainees.  That stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Detainees are here for a long term stay. So, at $51.60 a day it's already bringing in thousands in revenue for Scott County.

"It was a long process but I think it's going to be worth it," said Sheriff Rick Walter. "It's not costing us any extra."

Sheriff Rick Walter says he's been trying to bring ICE detainees to Scott County since he took office in 2005.

He says changes in Homeland Security procedures kept paperwork tied up for a while.  But, Scott County finally began housing detainees this month.  Most of them come from facilities in the St. Louis region.

"I started this because I wanted to help us off set the cost of running the jail," said Sheriff Walter. "We get $51.60 a day for ICE individuals."

Already, Sheriff Walter is expecting almost $12,000 for the county this month.  That's with nine current inmates. They could eventually take in 25 to 30.

Mississippi County also takes in ICE detainees.

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