Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaks to reporters about his newest crime-suppression operation during a news conference in Surprise, Arizona yesterday.
(Joshua Lott/REUTERS)Photos (1 of 1)
Sheriff Joe Arpaio: I don’t take orders from anybody.
Refusal by ‘America’s toughest sheriff’ to stop immigration sweeps fits into the career of a controversial populist.
By Patrik Jonsson | Staff writer/ October 17, 2009 edition
Much like the late Jefferson Parish, La., Sheriff Harry Lee did, Maricopa, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio walks the line between all-powerful baron and populist champion of law and order.
On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Mr. Arpaio to stop using the authority of the federal 287g program — which deputizes local law enforcement to help federal agents target illegal immigrants — as part of street sweeps in Phoenix that have primarily led to arrests of people who haven’t committed any serious crimes. Arpaio refused as he headed a 12th major anti-immigration operation through the metro Phoenix county today.
“The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is the only law-enforcement agency in the country to lose its authority to enforce federal immigration laws on the street under a revamped and controversial program that lets local and state agencies act as immigration officers,” the Arizona Republic reported.
“”You know what? They can take away anything they want. I’m still the elected sheriff,” Sheriff Arpaio told Fox News’ Glenn Beck this week. “I’m still going to enforce the state laws and I’m going to enforce the federal laws.”
Arpaio, a former DEA agent, was first elected in 1993 and has since won five four-year terms as a Republican, all by double-digit margins. The inmate population has doubled in that time to 10,000. Arpaio once earned the Washington, D.C., Police Department’s “most assaulted officer” title because of his willingness to get into scuffles, according to Time. Working in Las Vegas, he once pulled over a motorcycle ridden by Elvis Presley.
With the county jail full, Arpaio began housing inmates in tent cities, pointing out that most jails these days are “like hotels.” Believing that pink is a calming color, he has marched inmates through the streets in pink underwear. He also instituted the nation’s first female and juvenile chain gangs.
Sheriffs — who are essentially colonial-era holdovers — cut a cultural and political profile that critics say challenges the democratic system. In recent years, jurisdictions across the South have attempted to rein in the power of the sheriff — with mixed results.
“In many areas, sheriffs are the most powerful political force that people have to deal with,” according to Stephen Bright, the director of the Southern Center for Human Rights, in Atlanta. “You have people who become local J. Edgar Hoover types, who have a little bit on everybody.”
Federal courts have fought back against Arpaio, finding him guilty in 2008 of constitutional violations after cutting inmate meals back to two a day (at a cost of 15 cents each) and sometimes serving moldy bread and fruits.
Arpaio says he gets his power from state and federal authority, not ICE regulations. Now it looks like it may take another federal judge to determine not only whether Arpaio can legally continue the sweeps, but whether they, as critics charge, amount to racial profiling — a charge that ICE has tried to avoid.
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Comments
2. June D. | 10.17.09
Hurray for Sheriff Arpaio. There should be more like him. Also there should be a moratorium on immigration until all American citizens are back to work.
3. Darryl Johnston | 10.17.09
Isn’t the real story about how so many law enforcement officials refuse to enforce/ignore immigration laws. If Arapaio is violating the law then he should be dealt with accordingly. However, the law enforcement officers who fail to enforce state and federal laws also need to enforce the laws or find other careers.
Darryl Johnston
5. trans-mutant | 10.17.09
He is an elected official not a hired police officer. The County Sheriff is in fact the highest authority in common law enforcement for its county. Can refuse
orders from politicians, arrest any federal agent in his jurisdiction if in violation of common law. An honest Sheriff is your last hope for security.
6. Bob Forsberg | 10.17.09
Sheriffs are democratically elected and show the will of the people in an area of America. Sheriff Joe and the LA County Sheriff hold the same office, but are at opposite ends of illegal immigration. LA is a sanctuary city where illegals roam free on the streets and fly Mexican flags at public schools. Sheriff Joe enforces the law and the will of the people in his county. America needs more like him.
Someone is breaking or ignoring laws for political reasons. One should be commended and the other removed from office and locked up like the Orange County Sheriff from another county in California who ignored illegal immigration laws. The more sheriffs who get locked up for ignoring laws, the better we all will be.
7. Capt.Charles Lusterman Ret. | 10.17.09
Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Is a true red blooded American Patriot,not lacking in applying OUR laws equally. There are those who may find his work distasteful yet quite necessary to keep a mere semblance of Law and Order in his Area.
It seems that we have allowed that mentality of the lay back PC nanny State where everybody can do what ever they please as far they don’t impinge on any ones personal feelings.
It would be nice if all L.E.O. took up the cause they were sworn to ,by enforcing OUR laws .
These men risk their lives daily to protect us and should be given the respect that they deserve from all of us.
8. hook ‘em | 10.17.09
I say “GO SHERIFF!!!” Sheriffs are law enforcers and that is what he is doing. Here in Houston our Mayor is not allowing law enforcement to detain illegals based on their immigrant status. The decision is not based on the law but politics and his need for the Hispanic vote.
9. Kelley | 10.17.09
“Sheriffs — who are essentially colonial-era holdovers…” This is what it boils down to, Arpaio is acting like a little tyrant-king–very close to believing he is above the law. He’s skating on thin ice and pushing his authority to the very limits. It’s only a matter of time before he screws up and violates someone’s civil rights in a criminal way. You can bet Eric Holder is just dying to put this rogue cop in his place. Then the US Marshals will be putting him where he belongs. It’s just a shame that when it does happen he will be in a nice federal prison in protective custody instead of General Population where he deserves to be, so he can get some of his own medicine.
10. Jim Lombardo | 10.17.09
I think he is fantastic…We have drop houses full of illegals in every neighborhood, deaths on our streets thru muggings and auto accidents where they have no insurance, they are treated better in our hospitals than legal citizens….Homeland Security better wake up instead of returning to pre 911 days…Its a whole new world out there now! Wake up and smell the illegals…there all around you…demanding more and more….
11. Terry Rosequist | 10.17.09
I really don’t see how having a County sheriff is anachronistic. Arizona only has 17 or 18 counties, so it stands to reason that there would be a sheriff in each one. Sheriff Joe is just the most prominent kookster politician elected by the people of Arizona.
I fondly remember one of his predecessors,who was sheriff in the late 60’s early 70’s. Some promoters considered having a Woodstock style rock concert. The sheriff promised mass arrests, to which a startled and naive Arizona Republic reporter asked, “Isn’t that unconstitutional?” Our esteemed sheriff answered: “I think its about time we forgot about the Constitution and upheld the law.”
13. Jason M. | 10.17.09
Arpaio may be hard core, and cutting food back and serving moldy food is going too far, but I don’t see where I.C.E. has the authority to tell him he can or cannot enforce any law in his county, state, or federal level, I only see that a county or state judge could order him to not enforce a law, possibly.
14. Tim Grizzle | 10.17.09
God Bless people like Sheriff Arpaio. The country is in deep, hot water, and we’re so politically afraid of alienating this group or that group. In the end - all the groups will go down the tubes with the country.
What kind of lunacy is it when a law enforcement officer is TOLD (soon to be ordered by a judge) to NOT uphold the law.
Insanity reigns in these United (?) States…
15. Stephanie Robinson | 10.17.09
Sheriff Joe is my hero. We need more like him, strong, honest, no nonsense man who cannot be initimdated by the left loons in Washington who would have our country overrun by illegals so they can fast track them to amnesty, mandate that they join the unions and get their votes come the next election. Sounds like conspiracy theory, eh? Well, that’s their plan. You can bet on it.
Stephanie Robinson
17. A Jackson | 10.17.09
If what the sherrif is doing legal. Backed up by local and state laws that empower him. Then let the man do his job. Illegal immigrants are illegal, and what he is doing is what alot more should of been doing before it got out of hand.
It was a joke they could come out and march with no fear of being arrested and returned to there country.
18. ed graham | 10.17.09
A sheriff sworn to uphold the law guilty in 2008 of constitutional violations. Evidently, the guy thinks he’s above the law. Maybe he thinks he’s God.
19. Richard | 10.17.09
The late Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee was popular because he thoughtfully and legitimately enforced the law in an honest, even handed way. Before becoming Sheriff, Lee was a federal Magistrate Judge, after serving as a top aide to U.S House Majority Leader Hale Boggs. Harry Lee knew the law and made certain that his deputies followed it. Lee was the successful son of Chinese immigrants. It is totally inconceivable to any one who knew Lee that he would allow any person to be targeted due to their race, national origin or for any other unconstitutional reason. The people of Louisiana adored Harry precisely because they knew he could be trusted to use his power properly.
I do not know Arpaio, but I knew Lee well. Harry Lee was a great Sheriff who would never have tolerated his deputies engaging in any of Arpaio’s xenophobic antics!
20. hey now | 10.17.09
SOMEBODY has to stand up for Americans. Keep up the work, Joe. Don’t forget; crime ain’t supposed to pay.
22. Diana Barber | 10.17.09
I say God Bless the man.He is doing a terrific job.He’s arresting people that brake the law.What is an illegal Immigrant?One that brakes the law.If this Sheriff is stopped by anyone in Washington for doing his job.They will have thousands of people protesting.I stand by him as do most of the country.
He’s a good and decent man.
Diana Barber
24. New Yorker. | 10.18.09
how is the economy, the house prices and the job market in Phoenix, now that the great sheriff got rid of the “illegals” by sending them to New York?
25. Billw3 | 10.18.09
Mr. Arpaio puts enforcing the law and doing the right thing above politics. Washington D.C. would be a better place with this approach. He’d be a better President than the pushover we have.
.
26. Anthony DellAquila | 10.18.09
Anyone who breaks the law needs to pay for that crime. I’m tired of people taking advantage of all the “loop holes” in the law and law enforcement in this country. I can’t stand the idea that I have to follow the laws and some don’t. Please continue to take you stance Sheriff. Many of us are right behind you. And if you can’t use officers, I will gladly volunteer.
27. Richard Blackmore | 10.18.09
I live in the area where Arpaio is Sheriff. “hurray for sherrif joe”? I think not. He is a brutal little dictator who abuses his authority, abuses his prisoners, abuses those who look or speak like they might be latino (no, I’m not latino). And has cost the country FAR more than has has saved in law suits. He is a violent, egotistical man who gets re-elected mostly because people in the area are simply to lazy to pay attention to what he is doing.
28. John P. | 10.18.09
Why and how did it come to this?This man shares the responsibility with others in a thankless task with little margin of acceptable error- considering the consequences.If Iran, with help from Hugo Chavez using ethnic Latin American operatives ,wanted to smuggle a suit case nuke,it could do so- a piece at a time across the U.S./Mexican border.How would this hapless Administration secure us from that scenario?Through diplomacy?The answer is intelligence & the willingness to act-with ALL that implies.
29. Dick R | 10.18.09
Go Sheriff! We love and respect you for having courage to do what should have been done years ago!
30. Mornin Joe | 10.18.09
Been to Maricopa county - I loved it. Few too many liberals there but hey … no place is perfect. Keep up the GREAT WORK JOE! We gotcha covered on all sides. Go JOE!
33. J. American | 10.18.09
Good for Sheriff Joe Arpaio! He stands up for the sovereign,civil and human rights of the native people of this land.God Bless Him.
34. Steve M. | 10.19.09
Joe Arpaio is America’s most PARANOID sheriff.
And HE appears to be the main person thumbing his nose at the LAW.
35. Tom | 10.19.09
He is doing what everyone else wishes their local and federal law enforcement offices would do. He is holding people accountable. From inmates to illegals, he is making them accountable for their crime or in some cases tresspass.
36. Marian | 10.19.09
Ms. Diane Baker - What is an illegal alien? A person who may be a thief, a murderer or a terrorist. But more likely, a person who may be a subsistence farmer who left home because between Hurricanes and NAFTA he could no longer sell his corn & his children were hungry. An illegal alien may be an a law school student whose family sustained earthquakes, poverty and crime and tried to hang on to his country in order to make it a better place, but then left because there was just no money.
The Central American and Mexican governments do a very poor job of providing meaningful work in their countries. Their jobs program is to let people come here and send home remittances. But our government - Republican and Democrat have also insisted on trade agreements with those countries which have pushed millions of Mexicans and Central Americans further into poverty. We have exploited those countries for decades. And so where do they come to work? The U.S. Your lack of knowledge & compassion is staggering.
37. anre1969 | 10.19.09
“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
Amazing how we as a people keep repeating the same mistakes of the past over and over again, simply because we are full of hate!
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1. G Laffler | 10.17.09
Get rid of all unlawful intruders, they are laughing in our faces with their abuse of our system…