Critics claim Joe Arpaio’s crime sweeps violate rights of cities
Daniel González

The Arizona Republic

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans to take his next crime sweep to Mesa, even though Mesa police officials have not asked for his assistance.

Does that mean Arpaio is violating the federal agreement that gives deputies the authority to enforce immigration laws?

Critics of the crime sweeps say yes. They point to language in the agreement that suggests Arpaio must get permission from local authorities before using immigration-trained deputies to conduct crime operations in their communities.

Arpaio and federal authorities say no. They argue the crime sweeps are not immigration-related, so no permission is needed.

The conflicting views show how complying with federal agreements that give police the power to enforce immigration laws can be a matter of interpretation.

The dispute also raises questions about how far local police can push the boundaries of immigration enforcement as more local agencies enter similar agreements with the federal government.

Arpaio says his next crime sweep will take place in Mesa, though he refuses to say when. Both the Mesa police chief and the president of the city’s police union have said they fear the crime sweeps could spark violence and asked Arpaio to give them two days’ notice.

Arpaio has already conducted crime sweeps in Phoenix and Guadalupe, drawing condemnation from Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Guadalupe Mayor Rebecca Jimenez. The sweeps netted nearly 200 arrests for various crimes, at least 84 of which were related to people in the country illegally.

Violation of agreement

The sweeps sparked volatile demonstrations from border-control advocates supporting an immigration crackdown and Latino activists accusing the sheriff of racial-profiling.

Antonio Bustamante, of Los Abogados, a Latino legal organization, said he believes Arpaio is violating the 15-page agreement that gives trained deputies the authority to enforce immigration laws.

He points to a clause in the agreement that refers to deputies who are trained to enforce immigration laws and part of Community Action Teams. They are responsible for “assisting local authorities in urban areas who have requested assistance due to pervasive criminal activity occurring in hot spots within their communities.â€