Thread: AZ-Joe launching crime suppression sweep Thursday evening

Arpaio launching crime suppression sweep Thursday evening

by Catherine Holland

Posted on March 18, 2010 at 9:54 AM

Updated today at 12:26 PM

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Related:
•Arpaio's deputies turn-in ICE credentials, protesters speak out
•Arpaio: Suspected illegal immigrants held in boarded-up room for days
•High-speed chase and subsequent arrests lead to Phoenix drop house
•Ariz. House postpones vote on immigration bill

PHOENIX -- Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is planning another of his controversial crime suppression sweeps. This will be the 14th operation since early 2008. Details released Thursday afternoon indicate the two day operation will begin around 5 p.m. Thursday evening.

This week, more than 60 undocumented immigrants were taken into custody after a high-speed chase led investigators to a drop house in West Phoenix. Twelve of those immigrants were in the pickup truck that was involved in the pursuit. The rest, including nearly a dozen children between the ages of 11 and 17, were found at the home.

The undocumented immigrants were from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, and paid about $6,000 per person to be smuggled into the U.S.

At least three suspected coyotes, including the pickup truck driver who led officers on the citywide chase, were arrested.

Tuesday's pursuit and subsequent drop-house discovery just added to the total of undocumented immigrants taken into custody this month.

Nearly 80 undocumented immigrants were arrested during the first week of March. Some of those were picked up during traffic stops; others were found by sheriff's deputies at a drop house.

Last month, Arpaio launched a new program that will give nearly 900 sworn deputies training in detecting and arresting undocumented immigrants. That training includes education about enforcing state and federal immigration laws.

Last October, the Department of Homeland Security stripped Arpaio and his department of the authority to arrest suspected illegal immigrants based only on their immigration status. Nearly 100 deputies who underwent specials training turned in their ICE credentials.

Since that DHS announcement, Arpaio has plainly stated that he will continue conducting his crime suppression sweeps.

Approximately 400 sword deputies and posse members will be involved in the operation.

http://www.topix.com/forum/us/illegal-i ... O38LOI3SD4

Arpaio to launch 2-day crime, immigration sweep today

Last Update: 12:56 pm


Sheriff Joe Arpaio PHOENIX -- The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office will launch a two-day crime and immigration sweep Thursday.

The sweep's location hasn't yet been released. Four hundred deputies and volunteer posse members will take part in the patrols.

It will be Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 14th sweep since early 2008.

During the sweeps, deputies flood an area of a city -- in some cases heavily Latino areas -- to seek out traffic violators and arrest other alleged lawbreakers.

Critics say Arpaio's deputies have racially profiled Hispanics. The sheriff says deputies approach people only when they have probable cause to believe people had committed crimes.

http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoen ... jsp7Q.cspx

God bless Sheriff Arpaio! The Mayor of Phoenix (Phil Gordon) certainly DOESN'T have the stomach (or BALLS) to confront law breakers!

Arpaio begins immigration sweep throughout county
JACQUES BILLEAUD | Posted: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:52 pm


The Maricopa County sheriff's office launched a two-day crime and immigration sweep throughout metropolitan Phoenix on Thursday, marking the 14th such patrol by Sheriff Joe Arpaio within the last two years.

Four hundred deputies and volunteer posse members were fanning out in communities in patrols that Arpaio said would target drug traffickers and the stash houses and vehicles used by immigrant smugglers.

"We feel very confident that maybe we can make some little dent in this problem," Arpaio said.

Within two hours after the sweep's start, deputies had arrested a dozen people and seized four pounds of methamphetamines and 275 pounds of marijuana. Five of the arrested people were illegal immigrants.

During the sweeps, deputies flood an area of a city _ in some cases heavily Latino areas _ to seek out traffic violators and arrest other alleged lawbreakers. Five hundred and thirty illegal immigrants have been arrested in the sweeps since early 2008.

Critics say Arpaio's deputies have racially profiled Hispanics. The sheriff denies the allegation, saying deputies approach people only when they have probable cause to believe people had committed crimes.

Lydia Guzman, president of the Hispanic civil rights group Somos America, said she believes the latest sweep was an attempt by Arpaio to boost his popularity.

"The only way his numbers go up is if he pounds on his chest and says, 'I'm going after illegal immigrants,'" Guzman said.

Some Arpaio critics planned to drive around the area of the sweeps with video cameras to record exchanges between deputies and motorists.

For more than a year, the U.S. Justice Department has been investigating Arpaio's office for alleged discrimination and for unconstitutional searches and seizures. Although the federal agency won't provide any details on its probe, Arpaio said the inquiry is focusing on his immigration efforts.

The sweeps also are being targeted in a lawsuit filed by several Latinos who accuse deputies of racially profiling countless Hispanics.

Arpaio is known for pushing the boundaries for how local law enforcement agencies can confront illegal immigration and for his tough jail policies, including having inmates wear pink underwear and housing them in tents in the desert.

The sheriff rejected criticism that his latest sweep was aimed at raising his profile.

"I can boost my profile with pink underwear and tents. I sure don't need this. What am I _ running for president or something? This has nothing to do with politics," Arpaio said.

Arpaio's office lost its federal immigration arrest powers in October, when the U.S. government, which handles most of the nation's immigration enforcement, changed its rules for allowing local police to enforce more expansive federal immigration laws.

The sheriff began a sweep less than a day after losing those powers. He relied on state immigration laws to carry out his next two sweeps.

Since then, he has said local police agencies have the inherent power to enforce federal immigration law without getting approval from Washington. He also has announced plans to train all 881 of his deputies to crack down on illegal immigration. So far, 200 deputies have been trained.

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On the Net:

Maricopa County sheriff's office: http://www.mcso.org/

Posted in State-and-regional on Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:52 pm Updated: 9:09 pm. | Tags:


http://azdailysun.com/news/state-and-re ... af79b.html

Go Joe!!! Boy, how different this country would be if their were more like him!!

Originally Posted by OneNationUnderGod

Go Joe!!! Boy, how different this country would be if their were more like him!!

So true, and we wouldn't be in the situation today with illegals planning to march again for amnesty. At least someone is trying to uphold our immigration laws, can't depend upon the federal government to.

...funny, the FOX (Channel 10) Phoenix News (last PM @ 10:00) NEVER mentioned the drugs the MCSO siezed... coincidence? I think NOT!
(iow; We can't trust our news providers).