Sheriff Arpaio Continues Immigration Sweeps
07/18/2010
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At a time when most Arizona officials emphasize that under the new law, officers will only check immigration status within the context of another lawful contact, Sheriff Joe Arpaio isn’t afraid to engage in sweeps – major round-ups of illegal alien bad guys to be held in his famous tent jail.

Not only that, he recently showed the county’s impressive armored assault vehicle, complete with a 50-caliber machine gun, to the local media. He then told the cartels that he is ready for them: ”I want to warn everybody, especially in Mexico, if you want to come through Maricopa County, we’re gonna have enough firepower to react to any assaults on our deputy sheriffs.”

Arizona Sheriff Launches Immigration Sweep, Fox News, July 16, 2010

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office launched its 16th crime and immigration sweep in a stretch of desert in the southwestern portion of the county.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio says the one-day sweep was prompted by reports of many drug and immigrant smugglers moving through the Vekol Valley.

By late Thursday night, sheriff’s deputies say 11 arrests had been made including seven people being investigated for human smuggling. The other arrests were for outstanding warrants and traffic violations.

Since early 2008, Arpaio has launched patrols that seek out traffic violators and arrest other offenders, such as people accused of human smuggling.

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