Cells at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Corrections)
A state board has approved the parole transfer of 10 inmates who are in the country without legal permission, according to South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden.
The governor said Wednesday that the inmates will be transferred to federal custody for deportation proceedings.
“South Dakota taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for illegal alien criminals,” Rhoden said in a news release.
The inmates were chosen by the Department of Corrections based on their immigration status, low-risk classification and closeness to the end of their sentence, the news release said. Each case was reviewed by the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles.
The inmates came from Mexico, Sudan, Liberia, Canada, Somalia, Cuba and Ethiopia. Their crimes included burglary, possession of controlled substances, theft, assault and rape, among others.
The action comes on the heels of the Department of Corrections pursuing an agreement to assist the federal government with immigration enforcement, as part of an initiative Rhoden has dubbed Operation Prairie Thunder. The Highway Patrol and Division of Criminal Investigation have similar agreements.
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