Illegal Immigration Crime Skyrockets in Arizona
(From: The Judicial Watch "Verdict", print edition.
December, 2008, P. 7)

"Judicial Watch is leading a major nationwide campaign against illegal immigration sanctuary policies that unlawfully prevent local police officers from cooperating with federal immigration officials. One of Judicial Watch's key arguments against these policies (and there are many) is that they put American citizens at risk by allowing alien criminals onto the streets to commit more crimes when they should be deported.

On October 2nd, the Maricopa County Arizona District Arizona District Attorney's office released crime statistics that prove this point. Overall, while illegals represent only 9% of the population in Maricopa County (including Phoenix, which until recently, was a sanctuary city) they are responsible for approximately 22% of the crimes committed. Here is a breakdown of statistics by crime category. Illegal aliens account for:

*33.5% of those sentenced for the manufacture, sale or transport of drugs.
*35.8% of those sentenced for kidnapping.
*20.3% of those sentenced for felony D.U.I.
*16.5% of those sentenced for violent crimes.
*18.5% of those sentenced for property crimes.
*44 of those sentenced for forgery and fraud.
*85.3% of those convicted of criminal impersonation or false ID.
*96% of thos convicted of human smuggling.

Now as "Verdict" readers may recall, Judicial Watch has been very active in Phoenix, working closely with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Phoenix businesses victimized by illegal alien crime to change the city's policies. And Judicial Watch's efforts paid off last December.

Facing the threat of a Judical Watch lawsuit, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon reluctantly reversed himself on the city's sanctuary policy on December 3, 2007 and commissioned a panel to study the issue. In May, Police Chief Jack Harris announced key reforms to the policy.

It is still unclear whether Mayor Gordon is truly committed to enforcing immigration laws or whether, in the face of enormous public opposition and Judicial Watch pressure, he was simply making a politically expedient decision. (In the past Gordon has actually requested that the Department of Justice investigate local police officials for "discriminatory harassment" when they attempt to enforce the law.)

But here is what we do know. When local police departments implement sanctuary policies, crime goes up. When local police departments enforce immigration law, crime goes down." JW

Judicial Watch: www.JudicialWatch.org