Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 2:57pm MST
ACLU wants details on federal immigration changes
by Mike Sunnucks



The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a public records request asking the Obama administration to make public changes it is making to a federal immigration enforcement program that allows local police to arrest and process illegal immigrants.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently announced the plans that would require new agreements for local police, which could impact the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which has had a processing agreement in place with the federal government since 2007.

County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has stirred controversy with raids on businesses, crime sweeps aimed at illegal immigrants. The ACLU is suing the MCSO in federal court accusing officials of racial profiling in enforcement efforts. The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a civil rights investigation regarding Arpaio’s tactics and whether they unfairly target Hispanics. The sheriff said earlier this month his office would not cooperate with the federal inquiry.

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