When the federal government decided to increase the size of the ICE detention center in Raymondville in 2007, they decided to go from 1,000 beds to 3,000 beds.

Today the facility is only half full and prospects for having a full house are slim due to a combination of factors, a poor economy, the new border wall and a crack down on employers who are hiring illegals to do work that could be done by American citizens.

Still, even with half the number of detainees that it was built to hold, the ICE center is providing substantial revenue to the county government. At a contract rate of $2.25 per day, per detainee, Willacy County earned checks of $93,361.50 in December; $98,745.75 in January, $92,706.75 in February and $104,123.25 in March.

On April 1 there were 1668 detainees in the facility and on April 21 that number was 1497.

MTC Warden Ernesto Velasco said Tuesday, "A lot of people went home for the holidays and have not returned. Employers are not hiring illegals like they used to, it has to do with the economy and EVerification," (a government program to screen out illegals.)

A local source told the Chronicle/News that Level 3 (the most violent inmates accused of felonies) are being removed and sent to a more secure facility in San Antonio on the orders of Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano.

Warden Velasco did not confirm that statement except to say, "We still have some Level 3 detainees here."

If Level 3 detainees are removed we wondered how this would affect the county's revenue stream from the detention center and we called Public Affairs Officer Nina Pruneda of the U.S. Customs & Immigration Enforce- ment Service in San Antonio.

Ms. Pruneda was asked if Level 3 inmates are being removed and if so, will they be replaced by detainees with lesser charges pending against them.

We hope to have her answer in next week's newspaper.