AMARILLO, TEXAS -- A new law took effect September 1 that affects Texas inmates.
Now, when some criminals leave their cells, they must also leave the country.
"Illegal aliens that are in the prison system once they become eligible for parole," said 47th District Attorney Randall Sims. "They will be able to request for them to deported and that will probably hasten them being paroled."
Of the 154,000 convicts serving time in Texas, about 11,500 of them are foreign born. If all of those inmates were paroled and deported, it could save the state and taxpayers a substantial amount of money.
"It would surprise a lot of people the number and the figures that we're talking about", said Sims.
By substantial, we mean more than $200 million.
"It's a money saving effort to try to reduce the numbers in prison which will reduce the expenses to the prison system", added Sims.
Legal professionals add the new law could also help keep our state a little safer.
"If the people get deported and stay deported," said Sims. "Then they're not going to have a chance to commit another crime in the state of Texas so hopefully that'll help all the way around."
But, can we count on those inmates staying out of the country?
"Having been in the business for 25 years, I'm sure there will be a certain percentage that will illegally reenter the country again", said Sims.
Only time will tell.
