Thread: Sheriff Arpaio says deal close to enforce immigration laws

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5722636

Nov 23, 2006

Sheriff Arpaio says deal close to enforce immigration laws

PHOENIX -- Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he's close to reaching a deal with federal immigration officials to let deputies enforce immigration laws.


Arpaio said Wednesday he has been negotiating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for months on an agreement letting trained deputies question, detain and arrest people they encounter who are in the country illegally.

Arpaio said he wants about 200 deputies and jail officers to take an eight-week course to learn how to enforce federal laws.

"I want my deputy sheriffs to be trained so if they ... see something wrong and we find out the person is here illegally, then we will have the authority to question that person and put a hold on that person and bring them to jail," Arpaio said.

A spokeswoman for federal immigration officials in Phoenix confirmed the talks. But spokeswoman Lauren Mack said she couldn't discuss details for legal reasons.

Such training is allowed under the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act, but a local agency's authority varies. Some only want detention officers trained so they can place immigration holds on inmates, while others want broader powers allowing them to detain people they've stopped on the streets for immigration violations.

Arpaio's disclosure of the talks came the day after a federal lawsuit was filed challenging the use of a state anti-smuggling law by Maricopa County to prosecute those who have been smuggled. Named in the suit is Arpaio, County Attorney Andrew Thomas and the county Board of Supervisors.

The suit was filed by several state legislators, two professors, several immigrant rights groups and six immigrants charged under the state statute. It accuses Arpaio and Thomas of misusing the law, which lawmakers say was not intended for use against smuggling "victims."

It also calls the enforcement policy a "scheme to control international borders." Arpaio and Thomas have maintained they are not enforcing immigration, but merely charging the immigrants with a standard conspiracy law.

Several other states and localities, including the State of Florida, already have deals with immigration. Under the law, state and local police receive specialized training so they have enough understanding of immigration law to assist federal immigration authorities, detain suspects, etc.

Originally Posted by bquasius

Several other states and localities, including the State of Florida, already have deals with immigration. Under the law, state and local police receive specialized training so they have enough understanding of immigration law to assist federal immigration authorities, detain suspects, etc.

We should be asking the state patrol and key county sherriffs of every border state to get this training. I believe the only two states are Fl and GA.

I'm working on Minnesota, through my Representative in the MN Legislature. We don't have as many illegals as border states in the South, but the meat packing industry has quite a few.

We also have a border with Canada in NW Minnesota, a very sparsely populated area without much ICE presence. In winter, I think terrorists could easily drive over some of the smaller border lakes, such as Lake of the Woods (West of Superior).

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This type of program could also help towns with day laborer programs.

Police that lack immigration enforcement power sometimes try to target day laborers and contractors with very aggressive enforcement of traffic rules, etc., assuming they're all illegal immigrants, which hurts legal immigrants and citizens who are unemployed and need the day jobs.

Police with immigration enforcement powers can filter out the illegal immigrants from the mix, scaling down the problem, while allowing legal immigrants and citizens the opportunity to find work without feeling harassed.

Originally Posted by bquasius

I'm working on Minnesota, through my Representative in the MN Legislature. We don't have as many illegals as border states in the South, but the meat packing industry has quite a few.

We also have a border with Canada in NW Minnesota, a very sparsely populated area without much ICE presence. In winter, I think terrorists could easily drive over some of the smaller border lakes, such as Lake of the Woods (West of Superior).

I'm trying to contatc the Ohio State Patrol to inquire as to any interest. My local stste rep. is involved in a recount. It shld be finished Mon. I'll also try to get him involed. Might you have any advice / recommendations ?

Arpaio is a sharp guy. I like that he uses common sense to get things done. I'll contact my representatives in Illinois too. Did you see that special on tv a while back where there was a sign, somewhere on our northern border, that asked people coming into the country to phone in and tell our law enforcement officials that they were entering the country? I don't know if I want to laugh or cry! I'm sure Osama Bin Laden will reach out and touch someone, but I doubt that it will be by phone.