Thread: Sheriff gets deport aid for migrants

Sheriff gets deport aid for migrants

Daniel González
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 14, 2006 12:00 AM


Federal authorities said Wednesday that agents will start deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of conspiring to commit human smuggling and end a dispute over jurisdiction with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

The agreement means sheriff's deputies no longer will be tied up transporting undocumented immigrants convicted of conspiracy under the state's human-smuggling statute to the border.

It comes after months of wrangling and complaints from Arpaio and Gov. Janet Napolitano, who have chided Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Arizona and accused them of being uncooperative in the fight against illegal immigration. Until now, federal agents have refused to transport people prosecuted under the state's human-smuggling law on the grounds that only federal officials have the authority to determine whether someone is in the country illegally.

So far, deputies have made 27 trips and transported 61 undocumented immigrants arrested under the smuggling law, Arpaio said.

"It's (the agreement) going to save my guys some time," Arpaio said.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is the only local law-enforcement agency in Arizona arresting undocumented immigrants under the state statute.

An ICE spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., said Wednesday that from now on, agents would transport undocumented immigrants convicted under the smuggling law.

"Our goal is to ensure that convicted criminal aliens, including those convicted under the state's anti-smuggling law, are promptly picked up and deported," Jamie Zuieback said.

Arpaio, however, was not completely satisfied. He believes ICE agents should be transporting all undocumented immigrants arrested under the human smuggling statute, regardless of whether they are convicted or not.

Deputies have released 108 undocumented immigrants arrested under the human-smuggling law from Maricopa County's jails into the community because agents have refused to pick them up, Arpaio said. That includes 16 people convicted under the smuggling law. The rest were released under their own recognizance, after no charges were filed, or for other reasons.

Arpaio has complained bitterly about the transport issue for months. On Aug. 14, he and Napolitano wrote a joint letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff complaining about a lack of cooperation from Roberto Medina, the special agent in charge of ICE in Phoenix.

http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/clickt ... o0914.html

All I can say is "thank you" to Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "Congratulations and please continue to stand by the LEGAL citizens of this nation " would be in order too !!

Should he trust them to keep their word and actually take them to the border?

Wouldn't he accept to come to Miami - Florida

Arpaio, however, was not completely satisfied. He believes ICE agents should be transporting all undocumented immigrants arrested under the human smuggling statute, regardless of whether they are convicted or not.

Like, duh!!!

I'm so proud of Sheriff Arpaio!