Thread: Mayor Sees No Justice in One Sheriff's Hunt for Undocumented

Guest Voz: AZ Mayor Sees No Justice in One Sheriff's Hunt for Undocumented Immigrants
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Sun, 04/13/2008 - 01:19 — Marissa Treviño
By Hon. Rebecca Jimenez

The state of Arizona has enacted some of the most punitive legislation targeting undocumented immigrants. One man, Joe Arpaio, the Sheriff of Maricopa County, has made it his mission to root out the undocumented in the Phoenix area.

The Sheriff conducts "crime suppression sweeps" which means that he gathers a "posse" of law enforcement officials and they choose a likely spot where they might apprehend an undocumented immigrant.


Hon. Rebecca Jimenez
(Source: Michelle Castro Smythe)

One town that Sheriff Arpaio has taken his brand of justice is the Town of Guadalupe. Yet, while most political officials where Sheriff Arpaio has conducted these operations have refrained from challenging the Sheriff, one has not.

Her name is Rebecca Jimenez and she is the Mayor of the Town of Guadalupe.

Jimenez made headlines when she had a showdown with the Sheriff when he came to Guadalupe to conduct one of his infamous sweeps.

In the following post, Jimenez outlines the reasons why she nor the Town of Guadalupe want or need the Sheriff's help.


My name is Rebecca Jimenez and I am the current Mayor of Guadalupe, AZ. Guadalupe is a Yaqui and Latino community of about 6,000 residents between Phoenix and Tempe at the base of South Mountain. The town proudly maintains a strong cultural and ethnic identity. It is named after the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico. Guadalupe was founded by Yaqui Indians around the turn of the century. The Town of Guadalupe is approximately one square mile in area. Although Guadalupe did not incorporate until 1975, our history dates back to 1907.

Guadalupe is a dual-culture community, those cultures being of Yaqui and/or Mexican descent. The Yaqui Indians have endured many turbulent times beginning with wars fought among the Spanish and Mexicans. When Porfirio Diaz’ regime persecuted them, the Yaquis fled North into the United States for safety.

Many of the Yaquis came up to the Salt River Valley to work on the construction of canals in the area. A community sprung up here – where we became Guadalupe. Over the years many Latino families have settled in Guadalupe and added their cultural heritage to the community as well.

Guadalupe does not have its own police department. Over the last two decades, the town has had a $1.2 million contract with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

It has been a tumultuous relationship from the start.



The Town of Guadalupe has many issues that it struggles with daily and the MCSO is one of them. Because the town is composed mostly of residents who are Yaqui Indian or of Mexican descent, the Sheriff deputies view us through a colored lens and treat us accordingly.

When our townspeople call Sheriff Arpaio’s deputies for help, even for Priority One calls, it has taken up to 45 minutes for them to arrive, even as recently as two weeks ago.

Once the deputies do arrive, they treat the victims as if they are the criminals. This has been a challenge to our town and council because it is such a close-knit community that word quickly spreads about the insensitive and even abusive behavior of the deputies when they interact with our people.

Even before I became Mayor in December 2007, I had several encounters with deputies that illustrate the ignorance and prejudice of the Sheriff’s deputies.

I would often call their superior, Lieutenant Shephard, and ask why their deputies always came into town with “their guns drawn,â€

Well that is certainly her opinion . Think she would pander to hide and protect "Her" people of Latino class ? She's a lot like a Bigot in my view. This is like Aiding and Abetting
I can also view this as something Sheriff Joe wanted .
Latino's sure do fear him . Why ? Cause he does his job

I'm curious, she did not once acknowledge American people in town. I'm assuming the town IS in the US?

Another, why would any American town use a Mexican tagged car for "undercover" work, when the town has NO police department? What "undercover" work was she speaking of? Setting up Sheriff Joe? That's called entrapment, dear mayor.

The more ILLEGALS that spend time in jail and are deported the less money that is sent back to mexico! Follow the money, her concern is not for the ILLEGALS, but for the lost money they would otherwise receive. If she was concerned she would make an effort to improve her Third World Country instead of complaining about the United States.

[quote][quote]pandering to a chosen few and disguising his “Gestapoâ€