Arizona Sheriff Won’t Surrender on Illegals

June 17, 2008
Arizona Sheriff Won’t Surrender on Illegals
Filed under: Civil Rights— @ 9:00 am

by Jeff Davis


Breitbart News reports “[Sheriff Joe] Arpaio, the self-styled ‘toughest sheriff in America’ has ruled his fifedom in Arizona’s Maricopa County with a steely, zero-tolerance that has enraged human rights activists but delighted headline-writers the world over. Demonstrations and picket lines follow his sweeps of largely Hispanic neighborhoods. He’s been criticized by mayors and the governor of Arizona. On a recent Mexican holiday, one group batted around a Joe Arpaio pinata, an effigy filled with sweets that children attempt to split open with a stick.”

This is the media who claim they are not biased, but notice from the opening sentence, their coverage drips with personal hatred for this man. Maybe the sheriff spends a lot of time in Mexican neighborhoods because that’s where the criminals are. How many stolen auto “chop shops” have you noticed in the average White suburb? If someone created a Bush or McCain or Cheney pinata, you could make a good bet the Secret Service would be knocking at their door, but apparently disrespecting the local sheriff is OK in Arizona and “good fun” in Mexican neighborhoods.

The Breitbart article continues “The opprobrium heaped in Arpaio’s direction is water off a duck’s back: after 16 years in office, the veteran lawman is showing no signs of mellowing. ‘It just makes me more vigilant and go out more,’ Arpaio told AFP in an interview. ‘They ought to shut their mouth, let the system take its course, and if they don’t like the laws, go out and get them changed. But don’t try to intimidate me to stop enforcing the laws. It will never happen… That’s how I take care of business.’ …During nearly two decades, Arpaio has garnered world-wide publicity for creating a tent city in the Arizona desert to house county jail inmates, sending out men and women in chain gangs to pick up trash, and clothing inmates in striped suits and pink underwear. He even offered to accommodate Paris Hilton in one of Maricopa County’s jails when the celebrity socialite was sentenced to prison in Los Angeles last year for driving offences.”

Now it gets interesting. Apparently Sheriff Arpaio decided he’d had enough of mass lawbreaking in his jurisdiction and almost unique among American cops, he decided to do what no one else has the guts to do: simply enforce existing laws.

Breitbart notes “His latest crackdown against illegal immigrants began about 18 months ago. He has nothing against immigrants — his parents were Italian immigrants (’legal’ he adds pointedly) …For Arpaio, illegal immigration is a fairness issue. Why should some people wait years for citizenship through the proper channels while others slip across the border? … ‘The minute you crossed the border, you violated the law,’ Arpaio said. ‘There’s no doubt that illegals are involved in drug trafficking and other crimes. Many of them, maybe the majority, come here to work. Still, it’s illegal to come here. I’m going to continue to enforce the law. I took an oath of office. I’m the bad guy. That’s okay. It’s alright with me.’ …Arpaio’s last sweep sent 200 deputies, helicopters, and an armored car into a one square-mile Latino-dominated town, pulling over anyone with a cracked tail-light or a broken windshield. He rejects claims that his department is targeting anyone with brown skin. ‘We don’t racial profile,’ he said. ‘We lock everybody up. I’m an equal opportunity guy.’”

I genuinely find it difficult to believe that I am hearing that from an American law enforcement officer in 2008. Most of the rest of them seem to have fled and are hiding under the bed from the courts, the politicians, and the Hispanic pressure groups.

The article adds “About 16 percent of the 77,000 inmates booked into county jail this year were illegal immigrants. Arpaio believes that by keeping pressure on illegal immigrants, he can drive them from Arizona. ‘They’re heading south, or they’re going to California, but they’re sure getting out of Arizona,’ he said. ‘If you can get them out of Arizona, you can get them out of the United States of America little by little. I’m not saying line up the buses, but put the pressure on them. Little by little they’re going to leave because it’s going to be hard to find a job and they’re going to go to jail.’”

Hopefully Arpaio will move on to bigger things such as governor of Arizona or perhaps replacing John McCain when he finally retires or gets committed to the warmonger lunatic asylum.

It is interesting that you would be in favor of the replacement of "warmonger" John McCain by Joe Arpaio who, by nature of his history, could possibly be more of a "warmonger" than any president we have had to date.

Yes..That's possible...Interesting point.

Gentlemen, regarding the articles I post here, I do generally agree with perhaps 80% of the points or opinion expressed by the author but not necesarilly every point made. Some articles I've shared here,a minority of them, were written from a perspective which might be drastically different from my own but the author has nevertheless made a few points or observations which are either brilliant or underrepresented in the national dialog and I think this makes them worthy of a wider audience.

Regarding Sheriff Joe, I know litte,perhaps nothing about his politics, but I admire the manner in which he carries out his duties. He is both dilligent to honor his oath of office and mindfull of the expenses incurred by the taxpayers who foot the bill for his dept.

Assuming Sheriff Joe approves the war(and I honestly have no idea where his opinion on this matter might be), I believe the man has enough regard for the rule of law that he wouldn't go to war without a congressional declaration of war and congress hasn't declared war on anyone since WW2.

Sheriff Joe is a study...a study that more of our politicians should pay attention to. What he has done to the budget alone (Maricopa County)is nothing short of a miracle. For those who believe he is a cruel and heartless devil, get on the web and find out who runs the county dog shelter (M.A.S.H. Unit). He does!!! It is operated by inmates (who get paid and receive specialized training) and actually makes money. I believe he is a rock in the middle of a fast moving stream...I sure hope he continues to be as solid...

I agree with amazedbydumb. The guy treats prisioners like they should be treated. I don't know about his political ideas but I like how he runs his jailhouse. But, in my humble opinon, from what we have to pick from for president I doubt he couldn't be as bad as Osama or McCain. Usually there is a lessor of two evils running but this time we're so far past screwed it isn't funny. It's kind of mute anyway .... he isn't running for president. Ron Paul should have been the obvious choice but the sheeple turned ostrich and buried their heads in the sand.

Sheriff Joe is the best law enforcement officer that our nation has ever laid eyes on. We need more like him. We could use a man like that right here in Coshocton County.

Sheriff Joe is definitely the stuff of legends, but Sheriff Tim Rogers seems to do a pretty good job as sheriffs go and he supported Ohio's C.C.W. law. Still, A couple of Sheriff Joes in every state would cut crime dramaticly.