May 6, 2008 - 11:37AM
Arpaio takes immigration sweep to Fountain Hills
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Dennis Welch, Tribune
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio launched another round of his highly publicized crime suppression sweeps in Fountain Hills on Tuesday, arresting three people suspected of being in the country illegally.

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The operations, in which deputies stop drivers for minor traffic violations in part to root out illegal immigrants, has drawn widespread attention as well accusations that the sheriff is violating civil rights laws by racially profiling.

Arpaio, who lives in Fountain Hills, said deputies are patrolling the entire town and said he did not know when the operations would end.

After his last immigration sweeps in Guadalupe last month, Arpaio said he intended to move into Mesa next. He has since clarified that he would wait until after the school year ends to do sweeps in Mesa.

Arapio has said he will alert the Mesa Police Department 48 hours before beginning any sweeps. On Tuesday, after attending a press conference at the state Capitol in support of an illegal immigration measure, he said: “I’m the sheriff and I don’t need to be invited to Mesa. I can go in anytime I want.â€