'I'm the elected sheriff. I tell them what their priorities are.'
Posted on 06/19/2008 8:47:05 PM PDT by Coffee200am
Frustrated by a steady flow of illegal Mexican immigrants into Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has decided to take matters into his own hands.
He has drawn support and opposition in equal measure for his treatment of prisoners, which includes re-introducing chain gangs and making prisoners wear pink underwear.
Now he's under fire for dispatching teams of sheriff's deputies into Hispanic communities where they stop people and arrest anyone who cannot prove he or she is a legal U.S. resident.
It has brought an onslaught of criticism from Hispanic activists, local lawmakers and the Phoenix mayor, who call his crackdown on immigrants a clear case of racial profiling in which only people who look Hispanic are targeted.
But Sheriff Joe in unmoved.
'What right does a mayor or a police chief, or anyone like that, have to tell me what my priorities are?' Arpaio said.
'I'm the elected sheriff. I tell them what their priorities are.'
But Mary Rose Wilcox, a county supervisor and longtime Hispanic activist said: 'All he is doing is going after everybody with a brown face.'
'There's no doubt in my mind that this is racial profiling. None.'
Across the country, state and local officials have taken steps to curb illegal immigration. More than 240 immigration-related measures were passed last year.
Arpaio says he has received an outpouring of support for his effort in the form of letters and donations of about $25,000 from the public to help fund the initiative.
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said the sheriff's 'made-for-TV stunts' have not stopped illegal immigration and violate the basic civil rights afforded all people in the United States.
'It's a single standard,' Gordon said. 'If you're brown, you're going to be pulled over, and if you're white, you're not. It's as simple as that.' sheriff
Tough regime: One Sheriff Arpai's infamous chain gangs
Under the U.S. Constitution, all citizens must be treated equally under the law and the government cannot conduct unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause.
In April, Gordon sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General calling for an investigation into Arpaio's patrols.
U.S. Justice Department officials are 'monitoring the situation', department spokeswoman Jamie Hais said. She declined to be more specific.
Immigration, specifically what do about 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, is a divisive issue, but it has largely dropped out of the political debate this election year.
A bid to push a comprehensive immigration overhaul through Congress was nixed by Republican lawmakers last year and the issue is barely mentioned by Republican presidential candidate John McCain or Democratic rival Barack Obama, who both supported the U.S. Senate bill.
In the absence of federal action, states and localities are beginning to take action. Despite criticism, Arpaio has vowed to continue his patrols and other measures designed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.
'They just don't want me enforcing the illegal immigration laws. They think they can intimidate me. They can't,' said Arpaio, a Republican, who is running for re-election in November.
Gordon said Arpaio should spend his time and limited resources pursuing other more serious criminals like drug and human traffickers, and violent criminals.
The mayor said Arpaio's tactics have not reduced crime in the region or curbed illegal immigration. Instead, Gordon says the sheriff has soured community relations and sparked fear among Hispanic citizens and immigrants.
'His Band-Aid publicity stunts aren't going to solve illegal immigration,' he said. 'It doesn't do anything to stop the flow. All it does is make for good TV.'
I had to shorten the title...it was 18 million words long....
If you’re brown, you’re going to be pulled over, and if you’re white, you’re not. It’s as simple as that.
*******************
GUTS! Clone him immediately!
Kudos to sheriff Joe for a job well done. Top notch !
‘It doesn’t do anything to stop the flow. All it does is make for good TV.’
I haven’t seen it on TV, but then I don’t watch TV. My belief is that if it were on TV, I’d watch TV.
Any facts that back up that claim?
Darn right it is... and about time. Got to love Joe.
Appoint Sheriff Joe head of ICE.
Absolutely. To the Mayor, perhaps Sheriff Joe’s campaign hasn’t “worked” because he is the only one doing anything about the crime problem? If the city is crime ridden, shouldn’t the police and the Mayor be helping, instead of just running their mouths?
|
"Unreasonable" and "Probable" are subjective terms.
What if you are a citizen and detained? Do you have any recourse?
Well, considering I have a drivers license, Social Security Card, a copy of my Birth Certificate, and my CDL Medical Examiner's Certification in my wallet, coupled with only being able to count to 39 in Spanish, I should not be detained because I have proven my citizenship, thus I would not need any recourse either.
Yes, the county, not “nickel bag” Joe will probably be sued and fork out a few more million dollars to support groups like La Raza. The money will really come out of our pockets. Thats cool though cuz Joe entertains us with his bravado. On a side note: I always thought a “dime bag” was the smallest arrest a dope cop could make.
Isn't that EXACTLY what Arpaio is doing?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Pink BVDs....
Waterboarding....
Pink BVDs..
Waterboarding...
Yeppers...
Them there illegal aliens are being TORTURED by that mean ol’ sheriff..
Damn, before you know it, our school systems might have to lay off some "administrators".......might have to cut back on their "ethnic studies" programs.....might have to teach them reading, writing, and arithmetic instead....pain and agony, pain and agony.....
That opens up another sticky situation. There are lots of OTMs and snowbacks that are in this country illegally too. Judging by race seems like it’s a good way to judge who’s in the country illegally but it’s not going to work because there are too many OTMs and snowbacks in this country that will pass through without notice.
But I do admire his hard work in getting rid of these invaders.
Kudos to sheriff Joe for a job well done. Top notch !
If you were stopped on the street by a Sherrif, how would you be able to prove that you are actually U.S. citizen ScottfromNJ and not illegal alien ScottfromOntario?
The law requires legal resident aliens to carry Green Cards but the law does not require U.S. citizens to carry any proof of citizenship.
"Your papers, please, Mr. Scott. No, a Social Security card or a drivers license does not prove you are a legal resident of the U.S. or a U.S. citizen. Only a Green Card or a certified copy of your birth certificate documenting U.S. birth or a U.S. passport or a National ID Card is acceptable. If you cannot show us one of those right now, you will be arrested."
"Yeah, yeah, you're a U.S. citizen and that's why you don't carry ID proving that you are. We've heard that before from illegal alien Canadians, eh? Up against the wall. Feet back and spread 'em."
Should we all start carrying one of these?
What in the sam hill is a “snowback?”
A canadian?
No doubt about it. Obvious Racial profiling. If Sheriff Joe want yo crack down on illegal immigration he should be ordered by some pathetically liberal federal court to stop the same percentage Caucasians, Blacks, and Asians so that he won't hurt the poor illegal Hispanic law breakers who have and continue to invaded our country.
Could it be because Norwegians aren't streaming across the Mexican border illegally?
You bet your butt he does. We are a nation of laws, Sheriff Joe is just the shmo enforcing them. Not the fancy or safe or absolutely do nothing enforcement served up by politicians with their hands out and a stack of blank mail-in ballots.
They're the Canadian version of a Mexican "wetback".
They are illegal aliens that look, act and speak exactly like any generic American except that, when they slip up, they say "aboat" instead of "about" and they say "eh?" at the end of each question.
I keep hoping that Joe will put out a call for extra help.
There are thousands of retired LEO’s that would fill his county, and do it without pay. Make it an organized surge and things would change in a very big way.
I am in Washington state and I would be happy to drive down there to help.
We are a nation of laws, Sheriff Joe is just the shmo enforcing them.
See Post 21.
What law requires you, as a U.S. citizen, to carry ID on the street that proves that you actually are a U.S. citizen?
What ID do you carry in your wallet that proves that you are a U.S. citizen and not an illegal alien Canadian "snowback"?
Either we are a "Your papers, please" nation that requires U.S. citizens to carry National ID at all times or we're not.
What's it going to be?
You can't have it both ways.
Know what’s really sad? He’s just doing his job. The lefties who are determined to undermine this great nation turn Sheriff Joe into the villian even though he’s doing what every LEO in this nation should be doing. Some days I can’t tell if we real Americans are winning against the Secular Progressives or losing. I only know that losing will cost us everything.
So an unsigned reporters accusation results is your wanting an ultimatum where on one hand you have a reporters summation and the other an elected Sheriffs obligations?
If the Sheriff is breaking any laws you know of you should contact the State authorities immediately. He is either breaking the law or not.
You can't have it both ways.
And you decided which one was true ...... how?
Because he represents "the law"?
Nifong represented "the law" too.
If the Sheriff is breaking any laws you know of you should contact the State authorities immediately. He is either breaking the law or not.
I have no specific knowledge and neither do you.
However, local lawmakers do and the article states that the Sherrif is now "under fire".
How long was Nifong "under fire" before his illegal conduct was stopped?
Notice they aren’t telling us how Joe is identifying them.
Nine times out of ten when you bust them they’ll tell you. Simple as that.
So now we can put the (cue scary music) National ID Card boogyman away for another day.
Apples and oranges, Nifong was seen for his skulduggery from day one. Or didn’t you notice?
Sheriff Joe hasn’t hidden much or anything of what he does, but you seem to give credence to a reporters summation. That’s sad.
I don’t give the Sheriff anymore then he deserves either as he is an elected incumbent. But i know more about him then the writer and his loose summation written with advertising revenue in mind.
Exactly :-)
That’s right he needs to pull over more of the undocumented Swedish Bikini Team that is sneaking in to the USA. The lefties are crazy. Just about 96% of illegal’s are Hispanic or OMG brown skin. Funny how they do not mention his success rate.
since when do the MSM let facts get in the way of a good, liberal story? :)
“If you’re brown, you’re going to be pulled over, and if you’re white, you’re not. It’s as simple as that.”
And the above could be easily transmogrified and reconfigured to show the following:
“If you’re black, you’re going to be pulled over, and if you’re white, you’re not. It’s as simple as that.”
Which will more than likely cause an aneurysm in nearly every single member of the NAACP.
Not that Sheriff Joe isn’t doing a great job (he is), just that such statements should be chosen (not that Joe really gives a damn. Which is one of his more admirable traits. Which makes this post pretty much circular and more to the point, moot.)
If they just outlaw crime, like my pet rock told them to, we wouldn’t need any Sherrif
Joes!!
I know for many of us it’s not difficult to prove our citizenship. I also carry my birth certificate, driver’s license, and Social Security card in my wallet. However, I am still uncomfortable with the idea of having to prove our citizenship to any deputy sheriff who might be only partly trained and doesn’t have reasonable suspicion.
“But Mary Rose Wilcox, a county supervisor and longtime Hispanic activist said: ‘All he is doing is going after everybody with a brown face.’
‘There’s no doubt in my mind that this is racial profiling. None.’”
Globalwarmingracialprofilinggogreen - - — blahhhhh!
First off, Hispanic is NOT a race. It’s an ethnic group. I’m sick of hearing the word “race” abused like that. They’re destroying the meaning of the word. When you damage language, you damage human communication.
Leave Joe Arpeo alone; he’s doing his job.
“You can’t have it both ways. “
The hell we can’t. Go appologize for the poor illegal invaders somewhere else.
I don't think it counts as "taking matters into his own hands" when the duly elected law enforcement body enforces the law.
And Phil Gordon is a sniveling whining little poo butt.
“Well, considering I have a drivers license, Social Security Card, a copy of my Birth Certificate, and my CDL Medical Examiner’s Certification in my wallet, coupled with only being able to count to 39 in Spanish, I should not be detained because I have proven my citizenship, thus I would not need any recourse either. “
Actually, you won’t need any of those documents because if you are White, you will never get pulled over.
The further this nation gets away from God, the more uncomfortable we will all feel. The loss of Liberty always follows a turning away. The alien rising amongst us, perverted and corrupt justice, the burning of the land due to it being scorched, strong winds, torrential rains, drought, floods, a weakened economy, the buying up of land and assets from foreign entities, and a rise in disease are some of the other things the Scriptures mention as results of disobedience.
Yes, I feel uncomfortable too.
There was a article/thread a while back about the native born hispanic woman who was held for 3 days.
We love him down here in Cochise County. I moved to Arizona in 2007, and from what people have told me, they love him.
He keeps getting re-elected.
Well, considering I have a drivers license, Social Security Card, a copy of my Birth Certificate, and my CDL Medical Examiner's Certification in my wallet, coupled with only being able to count to 39 in Spanish, I should not be detained because I have proven my citizenship, thus I would not need any recourse either.
Do you carry them on you at all time? I was just thinking about this... If I were detained by one of these patrols, could I "prove" that I'm an American citizen? My Spanish fluency is limited to "cervesa fria, por favor," but I do NOT carry my social security card not my birth certificate: They're locked up in my safe deposit box at a bank. I've got no family, and the bank isn't authorized to let any of my friends into the safe deposit box: So I suppose I would need to get bailed out of jail in order to prove my citizenship. I've got a valid MO state drivers license and a bunch of other cards in my wallet, but would that really be enough to keep me from being arrested and jailed by one of these patrols?
BTW, every one of those documents you mentioned that you carry could be forged: So would you be content to be held in jail until the documents can be proven to be valid.
Most importantly, I can understand an investigation taking place when someone's attracted LE for doing something illegal, but I'm steadfastly opposed to anyone, under the guise of legal authority, walking up to someone in a public location and starting a conversation with "Your papers please..."
Mark
The problem is, people like him a few and far between, at least in government.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
