Sheriff: Keeping Silent Won't Help Illegal Immigrants
February 25th, 2008 @ 6:50am
by Mike Sauceda/KTAR

At least three community groups are advising illegal immigrants to keep silent when they are questioned about their citizenship status.

The meetings come as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Phoenix Police crack down on asking suspects about their immigration status when they are stopped.

The groups have held forums and advised immigrants they can avoid deportation by not saying anything.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that tactic is not going to work.

``If they don't want to answer and they have violated the law, they're going directly to jail and then we will investigate them in the jail to see if they are illegal," Arpaio said on News/Radio 92-3 KTAR's Jay Lawrence Show.

Arpaio added, ``There's been talk on Hispanic shows -- to not cooperate, to not talk to my deputies -- but you know what? We locked up 40 more illegal immigrants in the last 10 days, so we're still able to do our job."

The immigrants' rights groups holding the meetings say they are not trying to teach illegal immigrants how to break the law
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