Texas sheriff wants White House to reimburse cost of collecting migrant remains

BROOKS COUNTY, Texas -- The Sheriff of Brooks County, Texas is turning to the White House for help dealing with the remains of immigrants.

KRGV reports Brooks County has 944 square miles of rugged ranch land, where migrants often perish after crossing the border.

Since 2009, county officials say they've found the remains of more than 600 people.

The Sheriff sent President Donald Trump's staff a letter asking for reimbursement on the money the county has spent dealing with the issue.

"Between 2009 and 2012, the county was actually picking up the cost of these bodies being recovered and then picking up the cost on the autopsies, etc. And it accumulated almost $680,000...an approximate number, a little bit more than that," the Sheriff said.

The President said he was not aware of the deaths while speaking Thursday in San Antonio.