Phoenix Mayor Whines About Sheriff Arpaio’s Crackdown On Illegals
PHOENIX - The mayor wants the FBI to investigate whether the local county sheriff has violated any civil rights laws with his recent high-profile crackdowns on illegal immigrants.
The “saturation patrols” have drawn protests from civil rights and immigrant-rights advocates, but they have drawn support from backers of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and from people who believe the government hasn’t done enough against illegal immigration.
In an April 4 letter to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Mayor Phil Gordon asked the agency and the Justice Department’s civil rights division to examine what he called discriminatory harassment and improper stops, searches, and arrests by sheriff’s deputies in Maricopa County, which encompasses the metropolitan area.
“Over the past few weeks, Sheriff Arpaio’s actions have infringed on the civil rights of our residents,” Gordon wrote. “They have put our residents’ well-being, and the well-being of law enforcement officers, at risk.”
Justice Department officials said they would review Gordon’s letter but declined to comment further.
Arpaio said it’s ironic that Gordon wrote the letter the same day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials observed his deputies arresting residents and illegal immigrants in the town of Guadalupe and approved of the sheriff’s work.
“I think the mayor is disconnected from the people he represents and he doesn’t get the point,” Arpaio said Saturday. “Now he’s going to Washington to confuse the issue and try to get the public against me.”
The mayor “is degrading my office and my deputies by insinuating that they’re violating all these civil laws. We don’t profile,” the sheriff said.
In the past month, sheriff’s deputies and trained volunteers have gone into neighborhoods with large Hispanic populations, stopping people for routine traffic violations and asking some of them about their immigration status. Dozens of illegal immigrants have been detained.
ICE officials say Arpaio is not violating the formal agreement he has with their office that allows sheriff’s deputies to enforce immigration laws.
Last week, the Arizona Ecumenical Council and American Jewish Committee issued a joint letter saying the patrols “evoked a ‘police state’ atmosphere” and led to “detainment on the basis of a racial profile and dehumanization of innocent people.”
They were joined Friday by the Arizona chapter of the Anti-Defamation League, which echoed calls for a Justice Department investigation.
(AP)
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Don’t listen to the whiners, Sheriff! Keep up the good work!
April 13th, 2008 at 2:43 pmSheriff Arpaio is the best example in the country of what every elected official needs to be doing. He works in the interest of the people who elected him. Mayor Gordon ought to think about that. We need Arpaio in Washington. He would know what to say to Imadikwad.
April 13th, 2008 at 2:55 pmArpaio would make a great Sec. DHS or Att’y Gen.
April 13th, 2008 at 3:06 pmGetting the FBI involved huh? Those retards couldn’t find their ass with both hands! And, of course, when they don’t find any wrong doing by sheriff Arpaio, they’ll make some shit up……or start a fire! ……oh, wait….no, that’s the ATF that does the fires.
April 13th, 2008 at 3:09 pmJust another law enforcement officer doing the work most law enforcement officials won’t do.
April 13th, 2008 at 3:14 pmthe patrols “evoked a ‘police state’ atmosphere” and led to “detainment on the basis of a racial profile and dehumanization of innocent people.”
so routine traffic stop and asking “Are you a citizen?” is a police state?
and how exactly are people who cross into this country and live here illegally, -innocent?
April 13th, 2008 at 3:27 pmHey Phil, whanna get into a vote war with Arpaio? Gonna lose your butt….
April 13th, 2008 at 4:14 pmSounds like the mayor of Phoenix needs to resign and run for the mayor of Mexico City or maybe bumfuckEgypt. Or he could try his hand at dogcatcher…What a tardian scumbag he is.
April 13th, 2008 at 4:28 pmThere are basic human rights that people of the world no matter what their nationality is should get. Civil rights guaranteed in the US constitution are for US citizens. You want those rights.. try coming into OUR HOME legally.
Good job Sheriff! Keep it up!!
April 13th, 2008 at 5:22 pmPhil Gordorn is a freakin dumbass libtard that would not have been elected except the mass exodus of all the California Libtards that have moved to the Valley of the Sun in the last ten years. He is pissed cuz he tried to make Phoenix a sanctuary city and Sheriff Joe said No Way. Before his deputies were federally certified to detain illegals for being illegal, the sheriff would have his deputys(sic) arrest them and charge them for smuggling (themselves).
April 13th, 2008 at 6:14 pmArpaio is simply the best. Every sheriff should follow his lead. Hoorah!
April 13th, 2008 at 8:58 pmHere is Arpaio’s response http://www.azfamily.com/video/3tvextra-index.html?nvid=235562
April 13th, 2008 at 9:22 pmI’ve loved this son-of-bitch for awhile, now I love him more. JOE! Run for PRESIDENT!
April 14th, 2008 at 2:17 amClintons no mo’, vote fo’ Joe! Not McCain or the dumb-O!
Sheriff Joe needs to be in charge of the entire southern border and homeland security.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:40 amwhen i lived in mesa,before he was elected,they had like a 35% rate,in terms of people that kept comin back threw the jails,he was elected….they didnt wanna pay for new jails…he put up tents….loosing money on people takeing shirts/socks/underwear-he dyed em pink,so the gaurds could check on their way out.The get water…and day old balony to eat.I think its down to about 12-15% now.Lady kidnapped he grand kids,took em to the netherlands,FBI and their cops,found her.Judge was signing his name on the orders to send her back,but then he seen she was going to maricopa county,with sherif Joe,and he said he wouldnt send her there(cause he’s on the human rights abuse’s list,amnesty international,i think).So they her go.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:56 amGO JOE!!!
April 14th, 2008 at 5:00 amI watched both interviews and i found it interesting that arpaios interview was head on and gordons from the side. From a camera perspective its harder to tell when someone is lying when they are viewed from the side. That aside Gordon was lying, considering the fact that he rarely looked into the eyes of the interviewer or the camera.
Gordon is a weak kneed libtard who obviously wants as many illegals(potential voters) to be in arizona as possible.
arpaio was clear we enforce the laws on the books if you have a problem with the laws, get them changed. Gordon never has the spine to directly confront arpaio, he rather went throught the media, the local city police are in with him like the berkely police are with their loopy mayor.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:07 am
What a matter Mayer losing potential voters since your voting centers don’t check to see if they are LEGAL U.S. CITIZENS?!! Like I alway said, The Republicans are for cheap slave labor and the Democrats are for CHEAP VOTES. And we U.S. Citizens and LEGAL Immigrants get the big shaft from both political parties by footing more taxes and higher medical expense to pay for free benefits and health care for Illegal Alliens…. 
April 14th, 2008 at 5:08 amthey stand on our street corners giving us the finger and grabbing their little dicks, fuck em get out bitch! and take your fucking gangs with you motherfuckers
April 14th, 2008 at 5:57 amPhil Gordon is a spineless weasel that deserves a severe beating. We are cleaning up our state, and it’s interfeering with the lib’s agenda. Sheriff Joe is a hero for standing up to these cowards who continue to circumvent our laws with thier false claims to ‘moral highground’.
OBEYING THE LAW SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT PHIL!
April 14th, 2008 at 10:02 amTAKE A LESSON FROM JOE! (an honorable man!)
Illegal aliens are just that…..illegal. What has happened to our country? Where are the “cojones” of our government members who are intimidated enough to allow illegal aliens to remain here? Why should our U.S. Citizens pay for medical care, food, housing and everything else for illegal aliens when now our own middle class population is having trouble paying for medical care, food, housing, etc. I thank Joe. I thank him for his stance on obeying laws or suffering punishment. This country needs more like him, starting at the White House.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:22 pm