Undocumented Immigrants Increasingly Filling Arizona Prisons

New data from the Arizona Department of Corrections shows that undocumented immigrants are increasingly over-represented in the state's prison population. In June 2010, undocumented immigrants represented 14.8 percent of Arizona state prisoners, but accounted for only 7 percent of the state's overall population according to the Department of Homeland Security. The new data also revealed for the first time a breakdown of crimes for which undocumented immigrants were incarcerated. For example of all the prisoners serving time in Arizona state prisons for kidnapping, 40 percent were undocumented. Of those in prison on drug charges, 24 percent were undocumented. And 13 percent of those serving time for murder were undocumented immigrants, according to the new data from the Arizona Department of Corrections...more