Umatilla County Sheriff Sends Mexican Government Bill For Prisoners

PENDLETON — Umatilla County Sheriff John Trumbo has sent Mexico’s president a bill for $318,843 — the cost of jailing 360 Mexicans last year.

Trumbo says the government of Mexico ought to pay for the room and board of its citizens in the county jail.

U.S. taxpayers “have to pay for housing these guys in the jail; they have to pay for the courts, the prosecution and the defense,” Trumbo told The East Oregonian newspaper of Pendleton.

“Somebody has just got to say, ‘enough is enough.”’

Fernando Sanchez, general consul for the Mexican government in Oregon, said Tuesday he believed that Mexican President Vicente Fox would respond to the letter. He also said Trumbo’s analysis was too limited.

“My view is that he’s not taking note of the economic contribution of the workers there in Umatilla County, which is significant,” Sanchez said.

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