Supervisors accept $1.4M in immigration funds
by Yvonne Wingett - Jun. 24, 2009 04:55 PM

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday accepted $1.4 million in immigration funds that it denied last week.

The motion to accept the money died in a 2-2 vote last week with the board deadlocked on whether County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio should receive the funds, given to the county from the state.

The money is meant to help Thomas enforce state employer-sanctions laws. A portion of the funds will be transferred to Arpaio's office for its assistance in the enforcement effort.
The swing vote on the issue, Chairman Max Wilson, weighed in on the matter at a 4 p.m. special meeting. He had been out of the office for medical reasons and missed last week's controversial vote. Wilson, and supervisors Fulton Brock and Andy Kunasek agreed to accept the money.

“I think it's the right thing to do,â€