Sheriff to Bar Illegals from Visiting County Jail Inmates

July 27th, 2007 @ 6:49am
by Bob McClay/KTAR





The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is developing system designed to keep illegal immigrants from visiting county jail inmates.

Sheriff's deputies would do background checks on every one who comes for a jail visit.

"We will be looking at some type of procedure where we identify illegals coming into the jail. They won't be able to come in."

When someone comes to the jail to visit an inmate, they're required to show ID. Arpaio says the background check will be completed before their next jail visit.

Those who can't prove citizenship would be denied a second visit and could be arrested.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio says one man decides who gets to visit an incarcerated loved one. "I run the jail. I decide who goes in there."

"I run the jail and I have to be careful for security reasons."

Arpaio says screening jail visitors is nothing new. Since 2004, over 1,600 people with felony criminal histories have been turned away when trying to visit a Maricopa County jail inmate.





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