Thread: Jailers net more illegal immigrants than other efforts

Jailers net more illegal immigrants than other efforts
by JJ Hensley - Oct. 4, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's crime-suppression sweeps have scooped up tons of publicity along with illegal immigrants.

But in terms of number of immigrants apprehended, the sweeps and a human-smuggling unit have had far less success than another Sheriff's Office effort.

Over the past 18 months, the office has:

• Used its jailers to detect more than 16,000 people who are in the country illegally. Trained by federal immigration officials, the jailers question suspects brought into jail by deputies and police. If there is reason to believe the suspects are undocumented, the jailers can place an immigation hold on them for further checking. Those found to be undocumented can be turned over for deportation proceedings.

• Arrested more than 2,000 non-citizens in outlying county areas as part of its human-smuggling operation.

• Apprehended slightly more than 200 suspected illegal immigrants in its high-profile crime sweeps.

So if jail screening catches more illegal immigrants, why not stop the saturation and anti-smuggling patrols, which put the county at risk of racial-profiling lawsuits?

"People say it's a good idea to do it in the jails and not on the streets," said Capt. Paul Chagolla, a sheriff's spokesman. "That's not real life."

The Sheriff's Office says its crime sweeps are not targeting illegal immigrants, rather criminals in general. Critics note that most arrests from the sweeps involve immigration violations.

Sheriff's officials say the sweeps' biggest impact is the fear they spread in the community. They say many illegal immigrants and their families have moved out of Maricopa County because they're afraid they could be arrested.

"I feel really passionate about the theory that in order for a law to be effective, there has to be some kind of fear of being arrested, charged, adjudicated," said Larry Black, the sheriff's director of special operations.

Factors such as the economic slump, employer sanctions and tougher federal enforcement also may play a role in driving immigrants out of the county.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... s1003.html

This reminds me of the brew-ha-ha in Chicago. Congregate in mass in a specific area where crime is rampent, then of course more illegals will be found because they are the majority commiting crimes in the area. DUGH!