Posted on 02/18/2017 6:22:02 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee
PHOENIX - Federal immigration officials are ripping Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzones new policy on releasing undocumented immigrants from his jails, labeling it an "immediate, dangerous change."
"MCSO has implemented a policy which will undoubtedly result in dangerous criminal aliens being released to the street to re-victimize the innocent citizens of that community," U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe said Saturday in a prepared statement.
"Additionally, the new policy puts ICE officers at a higher risk as more fugitive operations teams will need to arrest criminal aliens outside of the secure confines of the county jail."
Penzone announced Friday night that he was immediately ending a policy of holding undocumented immigrants in his jails longer than required by law, so they could be picked up by ICE.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office had been imposing so-called "courtesy detentions" of up to 48 hours beyond those inmates' court-ordered release.
At a hastily called news conference Friday night, Penzone said the threat of a costly lawsuit had forced him to immediately end a policy that began under former Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
"I am committed to the safety of the public," Penzone told reporters. "I am not in support of anyone in violation of the law having the freedom without being accountable. At the same time, I must abide by those laws."
ICE will now have to get an arrest warrant if it wants MCSO to hold an undocumented inmate beyond a court-ordered release date.
Last year, MCSO released 2,581 jail inmates to ICE. So far this year, 249 inmates have been released to ICE. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at kvoa.com ...
Thank you dumba$$es of Maricopa—many of them “Republicans” who claimed that Arpaio was too old to continue. Arpaio would have had Maricopa county cleaned out by summertime and then probably would have retired and chosen his replacement. Instead, Arizona and Maricopa are now stuck with this wife-beating, arrogant, posing, Soros butt-boy in addition to two enemy Senators. Good job!
Sounds like they should have kept Sheriff Joe instead of voting for a squatter sympathizer. Austin TX has a woman sheriff elected in Nov. Sheriff Hernandez has released three illegal aliens rather than turning them over to ICE. One was a rapist and the other two were vicious child molesters. When our wonderful Gov. Abbott intervened, she did relent and put one of them back in jail. The law will be changed in TX. If you can’t uphold the laws of the state and nation, you will no longer be a sheriff or chief of police. That has never been in question until this screwed up time.
Joe Arpaio : “ Miss me yet?”
Arizona has apparently decided to surrender to the Mexicans.
They will re-elect Flake in 2018 even after he betrayed them with his vote for the Gang of Amnesty.
Since he’s so afraid of a costly lawsuit, how about a more costly federal lawsuit since he’s aiding and abetting illegal aliens in evading federal law?
Enjoy Sheriff Soros. You wanted it.
Never vote for a dim. Ever.
PUKE.
Has Maricopa county and/or AZ seen a jump in their violent crime statistics yet?
Very well said, ponygirl! It captured my thoughts.
Age wasn’t the only issue with Arpaio. Issues of corruption have been popping up repeatedly in the Sheriff’s Office over the past few years. Then there was the huge Soros-funded PAC that put Penzone signs on every corner.
Too bad Maricopa County Republicans couldn’t come up with a fresh, untarnished, conservative candidate. Sadly, the Sheriff has a four-year term so it will be a while before the error can be corrected.
>> released to the street
Not possible to transfer to ICE?
Situation sounds nutty.
This is the consequence of judge Snow’s vendetta.
A great alternative is to ridicule and laugh at them.
How is releasing dangerous criminals onto our streets not a true “clear and present danger”?
Many of these foreign illegals are hardened repeat criminals who have assaulted and endangered American citizen’s lives.
The ideal scenario would be for Penzone to be found guilty of acting to ‘aid and abet’ real enemy’s of the United States, and to be arrested, held, and ultimately found guilty of treason.
Oh wait, he was just following Obamanation’s example.
Never mind...
I don’t know the details. We’ll see if the prosecution continues after Arpaio’s election loss. If not, you’re right, it was a ruse to knock Arpaio out of the box.
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.