Thread: Ariz. sheriff under scrutiny wants tables turned

Ariz. sheriff under scrutiny wants tables turned
By JACQUES BILLEAUD – 3 days ago

PHOENIX (AP) — A lawyer for an Arizona sheriff who has aggressively cracked down on illegal immigration has asked for a probe of federal officials who are investigating the sheriff's office for alleged discrimination and unconstitutional searches.

Robert Driscoll, a lawyer for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, said in a letter that Department of Justice investigators conducting the civil rights probe improperly shared documents with the Department of Homeland Security, which is auditing Arpaio's use of federal immigration powers.

"They are not playing fair," Arpaio said Tuesday. "There is a political motive behind all of this — and ethical violations. Right now, I'm fighting back."

Arpaio said both examinations are focused on his immigration enforcement efforts, which include arresting more than 1,000 illegal immigrants under a state smuggling law and setting up a hot line to report immigration violations. Arpaio also has led crime and immigration sweeps in some heavily Latino areas in metropolitan Phoenix.

Critics say deputies racially profiled people during the immigration sweeps and that Arpaio abused the powers that the federal government gave dozens of his deputies to make immigration arrests. Arpaio said people pulled over in the sweeps were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes.

Department of Justice spokesman Alejandro Miyar said the agency will review the letter but declined to comment on Arpaio's investigation request. "Career professionals in the civil rights division began looking into this last year, and the department made the decision to open this investigation in the same manner we make every such decision, based on the facts and the law," Miyar said.

Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler declined to comment on Arpaio's accusation that both agencies were improperly sharing documents.

Chandler said the Homeland Security's examination of Arpaio's immigration-power deal with the federal government is part of a larger review of the agency's immigration and border security policies. All such deals also are being reviewed, Chandler said.

On the Net:
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office: http://www.mcso.org/
U.S. Department of Justice: http://www.usdoj.gov/
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: http://www.dhs.gov/
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Arpaio said both examinations are focused on his immigration enforcement efforts, which include arresting more than 1,000 illegal immigrants

If he has only arrested 1000 illegal aliens, they should be investigating why he hasn't arrested more! There are probably 100,000 illegals in Sheriff Joe's county.

though he has been elected into office 5 times and has a high approval rating they (meaning the open borders, illegal alien lovers or aka the Democrat party) are trying to pressure him and harass him so that it hurts his approval rating and gives people an unfair assessment of what he is doing.

they are trying to say he is "racists" and that he "profiles" hispanics as being illegals.

also he has to pay for legal bills to fight them so they are hoping he just gets tired and gives up.

janet napolitano should be fired for not upholding her oath of office.

If any one can send $$ to Sheriff Joe to help in the fight then please do so.

Us citizens of Los Angeles County would do anything to have a Sherrif like Sheriff Joe.

Sheriffs ICE holds 25000 + and thats with the ACLU feds and every lib symp group breathing down their neck .
Theres different categories on arrest stats .
I look forward to the department going full steam ahead in the near future
rounding up tens of thousands more illegal aliens .
I want them out of my State , I want them out of our Country .
Come in the front door and respectfully knock , only then may I welcome you amigo .

Robert Driscoll, a lawyer for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, said in a letter that Department of Justice investigators conducting the civil rights probe improperly shared documents with the Department of Homeland Security, which is auditing Arpaio's use of federal immigration powers.

When someone who has their SS# stolen, they can't find out who did it becuase it is suppose to be against the law for the Social Security Administration to share information with other agencies. But as soon as these types of laws are inconvient for example those behind the investigation of the good sherrif, they break those laws. But you and I are stuck having to obey them. The double standard is what is underminng our rule of law. For instance, Nixon thought he was above the law and look what happened. Problem is, there is no investigative media anymore to uncover the crap these officials are getting away with and Napolitano is leading the way..directed by Obama I'm sure.

The only 'racial profiling' is done by the activists who are demanding that people with tan skin can break our laws with impunity.

I would like to see this government work as hard to enforce our laws, as they're doing to impede them. What they are doing by going after Sheriff Joe is an insult to our Constitution and judicial system.