JW Victory! Phoenix Police Department's Ends Sanctuary Policy for Illegal Aliens


I have more good news to report regarding Judicial Watch's campaign to enforce our nation's immigration laws.

According to the Arizona Republic:

"The [Phoenix] police department is two weeks away from implementing a new policy which will allow officers to more easily contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about persons they suspect are in the country illegally…Currently, officers do not have as much discretion to do that unless a suspect is booked on criminal charges."
This is a stunning reversal in Phoenix (America's fifth largest city) prompted by Judicial Watch pressure. Remember, it was just a year ago that the Phoenix mayor's office was besieged by complaints by the city's small business owners that the flood of illegal aliens was harming their businesses. Contributing to the problem was a Phoenix Police Department sanctuary policy, Operations Order 1.4.3, that prohibited police officers from inquiring about the immigration status of individuals and from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

Then, we got involved.

Facing a Judicial Watch investigation and a potential lawsuit, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon reversed himself and announced on December 3, 2007 that he no longer supported Operation 1.4.3, and commissioned an illegal immigration expert panel to study the policy and to recommend changes. The panel issued a series of flawed recommendations that largely continued the sanctuary policy. Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris rightly put aside the panel's ideas and put in place policy changes that should go a bit further in alleviating the illegal immigration problem in Phoenix.

Here's the statement I issued to the press regarding this important victory:
"There is no question Judicial Watch's investigation and the threat of a lawsuit prompted both Mayor Gordon's sudden change of heart on illegal immigration enforcement and Chief Harris's complete revision of Operations Order 1.4.3. Gordon's and Harris's sanctuary policies have severely damaged business owners and taxpayers who are the lifeblood of Phoenix. We are pleased the mayor and the police chief finally have tried to address the illegal immigration crisis.

"Chief Harris's new regulations better address the procedural realities and dangers faced by officers on patrol who confront illegal aliens on a daily basis. The new police immigration policies are a step forward, but still fall short of what federal law requires - which is the unfettered ability of any local Phoenix police officer to make inquiries with Immigration Custom Enforcement about an individual's immigration status.

"Judicial Watch will continue to monitor the implementation of Chief Harris's new policies. As the new police immigration policies seem to remain at odds with federal law, a Judicial Watch lawsuit may still be on the table."