An estimated 70 counties in Texas receive funds for the detention of INS prisoners. Below is a sampling of counties, number of INS detainees currently housed (though this number fluctuates daily), the amount charged to the INS per prisoner per day, and the amount of money the county has received year-to-date (Jan-Oct.), based on information received through Open Records requests in early November.

Note that, unlike the other counties on this list, Travis County does not have a contract to house INS detainees. If a prisoner has an “INS hold” on his file, however, the county will hold him, after his criminal charges are disposed of, until the agency can pick the prisoner up.

#INS Prisoners Housed

Amount Charged
Per Day

Amount Received
This Year

Dallas

276

$55.00

$6,856,025

Denton

124

$42.00

$2,440,536

Bastrop

19

$41.73

$265,277

Victoria

16

$38.46

$243,452

Comal

31

$44.00

$214,632

Nacogdoches

16

$30.00

$211,980

Bexar

3

$40.00

$60,180

Travis

4

$45.00

$29,838


Information provided by county sheriffs’ departments.

This article appears in December 18 • 1998 and December 18 • 1998 (Cover).

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US