By KRWG News
Texas – Gov. Rick Perry wants the federal government to reimburse Texas for the cost of holding illegal immigrants in state prisons.
Perry said Wednesday that Texas spends $13.5 million each month holding illegal immigrants who are either serving their sentences or awaiting deportation. He also called for programs to speed identification of suspects who enter the country illegally.
Appearing at a campaign stop in Corpus Christi, Perry said there are an estimated 9,000 illegal immigrants in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Perry said he will send a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to request reimbursement.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.