Arpaio hopes to re-sign the 287G agreement

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by Jennifer Parks
(September 7th, 2009 @ 11:28am)

PHOENIX - Some changes are coming to the law that may change the way Sheriff Joe Arpaio can go after illegal immigrants, but he has declared once again that he will enforce the law.

287G is the controversial program that allows local and state officials to act as enforcers of federal immigration laws, but the federal government says it may be changing the program. Arpaio says he is fine with that.

"It's what I hope, to come to an agreement with the federal authorities and re-sign that agreement," Arpaio told KTAR.

Arpaio says the 287G revisions will not keep him from going after illegal immigrants who are committing crimes.

"Even if it went away, we are still going to do our crime suppression," said Arpaio.

The sheriff says Saturday's sweep is a perfect example of the type of suppressions he will still be able to do. His deputies picked up 24 illegal immigrants for allegedly selling pirated movies and music.

"We arrested 24 illegals out of 53 and most of those were committing crimes," Arpaio said.

He says he has never gone after illegal immigrants just because they are in the country illegally. Instead, he says he puts them away when they break the law.


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