Yakima County earns over $1 million from ICE charter flights



(AP) -- The University of Washington Center for Human Rights says Yakima County has earned more than $1 million through an intergovernmental agreement in immigration enforcement.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement transported more than 1,880 detainees through Yakima on airplanes earning the city up to $478 for every flight.

Officials say there were 23 ICE-chartered flights that started operating out of McAllister Field May 7 after King County prohibited flights from Seattle's Boeing Field.

Residents say the city was putting profit before people.

Yakima officials say refusing to charter the flights would put the city at risk of violating federal obligations tied to more than $19 million of federal grant money the city has received.

Officials say city council voted 4-3 against prohibiting the flights July 16.