McCain, Kyl pressing Napolitano on Arpaio
44 commentsby Dan Nowicki - Dec. 13, 2009 12:00 AM

Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl are continuing to press Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the decision to limit Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration-enforcement authority.

Amid controversy over Arpaio's ongoing crime-suppression sweeps, Immigration and Customs Enforcement dropped the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office from the 287(g) "task force model" that allowed deputies to enforce federal immigration laws on the streets. (The Sheriff's Office still can enforce immigration laws in the jails.) Homeland Security officials have said Arpaio's wide-reaching operations don't align with ICE priorities of targeting only "serious criminal aliens."

McCain and Kyl, both Arizona Republicans, have been exchanging letters with Napolitano on the topic since October.
"It is our desire that (the Department of Homeland Security) continue to have a productive working relationship with its local law-enforcement partners in Arizona," McCain and Kyl wrote last month in their most recent letter. "To that end, we would appreciate a specific response outlining what steps are necessary for all 287(g)-participating jurisdictions within Arizona to take part in the task-force model."

The senators have not received an answer, but on Thursday, Napolitano was asked what it would take for Arpaio's office to rejoin the model.

"It would require them to agree to the standards that the other law-enforcement agencies have agreed to do," Napolitano said during a meeting with reporters and editors at The Arizona Republic.




http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... i1213.html