Do illegal immigrants account for 30 percent of state prison inmates?
During a campaign appearance in Roseville on May 17, Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman explained some of her positions on illegal immigration. To illustrate a point that illegal immigration has costs for the state, she told those gathered that probably 30 percent of state prisoners are illegal immigrants. Conclusion: Thirty percent is an inaccurate percentage. The California Department of Finance puts the percentage of undocumented inmates at about 11 percent of the total prison population, or about 19,000 out of 170,000. Context: Stopping illegal immigration “is absolutely essential because the costs are enormous,” Whitman said. “I don’t know if you know this, but 30 percent of the state prisoners are probably illegal immigrants. We don’t get reimbursed for those monies. And it’s putting a burden on every element of the state budget.” Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer said the 11 percent figure has been steady for several years. These are prisoners who are on hold for deporta
