Thread: Truck Driven by Human Smuggler Crosses Arizona Highway Media

http://www.kpho.com/Global/story.asp?S=4795472&nav=23Ku

Truck Driven by Human Smuggler Crosses Arizona Highway Median During Pursuit

(Phoenix, AZ) - On Wednesday afternoon, traveling up to 100 miles per hour, the driver of a truck filled with human cargo tried to flee Sheriff's deputies by crossing the median on I-8 near Gila Bend and heading into oncoming traffic.

Avoiding a collision, the truck veered off the roadway and the smuggler and 17 illegalimmigrants from Mexico tried to run away from deputies but were caught.

The arrests follow a separate incident Tuesday involving several illegal immigrants stopped by a Sheriff's Smuggling Unit in the desert off Interstate 8 and later booked into jail, under the new state co-conspiracy anti-smuggling law.

"The situation today was extremely dangerous and underscores the desperation these illegal immigrants feel right now to get into this country hoping for amnesty, if the proposal by some Washington politicians goes through," says Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Arpaio has promised to crack down on illegal immigration in Maricopa County by forming an anti-smuggling unit which has already concluded four separate investigations with the arrest of about 70 illegal immigrants in the last six weeks.

Arpaio's Office is the only law enforcement agency in Arizona enforcing the new state law which allows the arrests of illegal immigrants who conspire with smugglers to travel into Arizona.

"I'm not going to surrender to the controversy surrounding this issue," says Arpaio. "We will continue to arrest and jail illegal immigrants. I already have 2000 men and women in tents and if I have to build more to house illegal immigrants.

04.19.06

70 illegals arrested in 6 weeks? That's impressive! What, are they hard to find in Arizona?