SB 1070 gets a bump in the road

Arizona's new immigration law will go into effect Thursday without its key parts.

A federal judge has put the most controversial sections of the law on hold until the courts resolve the issues, in what could be a long legal battle.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton said that under the new law, "There is a substantial likelihood that officers will wrongfully arrest legal resident aliens."

Gov. Jan Brewer calls today's ruling "a temporary bump in the road," and says she expects to appeal.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat who's running against Brewer, says the Republican governor "played politics with immigration, and she lost."
The judge shelved parts of the law requiring immigrants to carry their papers at all times and police to check immigration status while enforcing other laws. And she blocked officers from making warrantless arrests of suspected illegal immigrants.
Also on hold is a ban on undocumented workers soliciting employment in public places.
In Mexico City, word of the ruling was greeted with cheers from about 100 protesters who had gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy

Rev. Al Sharpton avoiding Sheriff Joe in Arizona

Despite an invitation on CNN's Larry King Live to meet face to face, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Wednesday that The Rev. Al Sharpton is going to avoid him on his trip to Phoenix this time.

The two men met last year in Arpaio's office to discuss the sheriff's crime sweeps and crackdown on illegal immigration. At that time Sharpton demanded Arpaio's resignation.

"Isn't that ironic that he wanted to get rid of me a year ago and I'm still here … and I'm still here, Al," said Arpaio.

The sheriff said he is discouraged by all the hype and all the talk of boycotts. He said he believes the whole thing has been blown out of proportion.

"This law if anybody would read it they would understand it," he said. "It's what we've been doing it's what law enforcement does everyday, regardless of what the crime is. We do it everyday."

"Why all the hype? I'll tell you why the hype," Arpaio said. "There's a lot of people here who want amnesty and they don't want us to go into businesses and lock up illegal aliens working for cheap wages that's what this is about."

"But it has gone so far now that the people in New York and everywhere else get the wrong impression of this," said Arpaio.

Protesters march from the Sheriff's office to Tent City

A protest rally is planned this weekend outside Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office at the Wells Fargo building. The protest starts there then the crowd will walk about 7 miles to tent city.

Just like February's event, demonstrators will walk the streets to protest Arpaio's immigration sweeps and his use of the 287(g) agreement he has with federal authorities, which allows him to enforce federal immigration laws.

In response to the planned protest, the sheriff put all jails on a security override Saturday and they will not have any visiting hours.

On Friday, the sheriff ordered all inmates to strip down to their pink boxers, having their belongings searched to make sure they did not have any contraband that could be used as a weapon.

Arpaio says he is concerned that a crowd of protestors outside the jails could cause a riot inside.

“Why do they have to come to the jail? These are prisoners!” says Arpaio.

“This is a security issue! Do you really think if 3,000 people were in front of the White House they would say, ‘oh, come on down we don't need any more secret service?’"

The sheriff's office says he has closed all jail access roads to prevent security issues.

Arpaio to have Reality Show in Late December

The Sheriff will be featured in "Smile...You're Under Arrest," which will debut on the FOX Reality Channel December 27.

"Smile...You're Under Arrest!" is the name of a new FOX reality channel show featuring Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Three episodes have been filmed, so far. The focus is on elaborate sting operations used to arrest people with outstanding warrants. All the crooks caught in a sting signed a waiver for producers of the show.

The episodes will start airing December 27.

Whatever it takes to let Sheriff Joe do his job is fine by me. Keep up the good work Joe!

"Toughest sheriff' wins re-election in Arizona

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio - who embraces the "Toughest Sheriff in America" title - has rolled to victory in his fifth general election.

The Republican sheriff handily defeated Democrat Dan Saban, a former sheriff's deputy, Mesa police officer and Buckeye police chief. Nearly-complete results showed Arpaio winning, 55 to 42 percent.

"I'm going to continue to work hard and fight for the people of Maricopa County," said Arpaio. "I lead this organization. I work hard for 14 hours a day. I will continue to do it, and I'm not going away, and I might get tougher."

Saban, who failed in an earlier effort to wrest the office from Arpaio, said he faced an uphill battle because of Arpaio's name recognition and large campaign chest.

But, he said his campaign would focus the public's attention on Arpaio's policies.

In the past year, Arpaio has gotten headlines for crime sweeps that target illegal immigration, which resulted in scores of arrests after traffic stops and other minor infractions. Arpaio's office turned any arrested illegal immigrants over to federal authorities for deportation.

The tactics brought outrage from some quarters but support from residents upset about the government's failure to deal with illegal immigration.

"If they don't like what I'm doing, go get the laws changed, and then I won't enforce those laws," Arpaio said.

Arpaio has been in office for 16 years and never faced a major re-election challenge.

"He's created an image that, when you don't have the same opportunity to compete in the media like he does, it's hard to dismantle," said Saban.

Thomas, Arpaio retain County Attorney, Sheriff offices

Two big races in Maricopa County were decided by voters on Election Day - the Maricopa County Attorney and Sheriff.

Current county attorney Andrew Thomas(R) defeated Tim Nelson(D), and Michael Kielsky (L) while current sheriff Joe Arpaio(R) beat Dan Saban(D) for his unprecendented fifth term in office.

Thomas and Arpaio garnered much support and antagonism for their enforcement of illegal immigration laws, seen by many as a defining consideration in who they will vote for.

Early in October, a controversial television ad attacking Sheriff Joe Arpaio's opponent, Dan Saban, made serious allegations about the Democratic opponent. Arpaio denied knowledge of the ad which was funded by the State Republican Party.

Also happening in October was a heated exchange between county attorney Thomas and his competitors Nelson and Kielsky at a debate between candidates.

Thomas and Arpaio participated in joint-advertising during their campaign, with each candidate giving support to the other and promoting the importance of illegal immigration enforcement.

Thomas was elected into office in 2005, Arpaio has been sheriff since 1992.

County Board Votes Again to End Guadalupe Law Enforcement Contract

Deputies had to clear the auditorium as protesters become uncontrollable.

In another chaotic meeting, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted to end police protection for the town of Guadalupe.

Deputies had to clear the auditorium as protesters demanded the opportunity to speak.

"Yet again, we see that Sheriff Arpaio does not let the Board of Supervisors let the public speak on these issues that have to do with our tax-dollars, that have to do with our safety," said one protester.

Two people were arrested in the protest for their actions.

Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox wanted to hold off on a vote until a lawsuit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio is over, and the county completes its own investigation, but the board rejected her motion.

The vote confirmed the outcome of a meeting two weeks ago, where the board voted 3-1 to cancel the law enforcement contract.

Sheriff Joe takes candy away from kids in jail - what will they do for Halloween?

Juvenile inmates have referred to Sheriff Joe Arpaio as many things, usually unkind four letter word descriptives. Now the name calling list will grow to include “former sugar daddy” and “sourpuss.”

Effective immediately, nearly 50 of their favorite candy items and cookies to purchase and eat will no longer be made available to the 200 juvenile inmates currently housed in the Sheriff’s jail system.

Everything from Snickers to Cherry Cola to Girl Scout Cookies to glazed donuts is off the menu, Arpaio says, as he endeavors to improve the health of the juveniles remanded into his custody.

With the recent news of the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes, especially among Hispanic and African-American youth, sugary products which the juvenile inmates spend an average of $1000 week to buy from the Sheriff’s canteen operation will be replaced with healthy snacks like raisins, sugar free vanilla wafers, yogurt pretzels and beef jerky.

“I don’t expect this to be a welcomed policy change,” says Arpaio. “But since taxpayers pay for inmate dental work and medical care, it’s a bad idea to furnish these young people with the very products that can cause all kinds of medical problems.”

Arpaio made the announcement in person today to a number of juvenile inmates, many of whom had just returned to their cells from Hard Knocks High School, the nation’s only jailhouse high school started by Arpaio in 2001.

These are juveniles remanded to adult custody in jail for crimes of armed robbery (65), aggravated assault (40), murder (12), drive by shooting (14) and other serious crimes such as kidnapping, sexual assault, burglary and attempted murder.

He also handed out a fact sheet about diabetes as a way to explain his decision and educate inmates. Juveniles and adult inmates alike purchases millions of dollars of canteen items each year, many of them food products as a way to augment the 17 cent meals inmates are served twice daily.

An austere jail system has been the hallmark of Sheriff Arpaio’s administration. Since he became Sheriff in 1992, Arpaio has made several significant cost saving changes in the jails. He has taken away cigarettes, coffee, rental movies, radios, pornography magazines. He offers only very limited access to television viewing. Even condiments like salt and mustard were removed from the menu as a cost savings measure.

Additionally, inmates can no longer write letters mailed in traditional envelopes, instead can communicate with loved ones through postcards only to reduce contraband.

Keep up the good work Sheriff Joe!

Maricopa County to Drop Guadalupe Police Protection

The move, which some on the board said they approve of, would put Guadalupe on a 180-day notice for cancellation of a contract originally set to expire in 2010.

The Town of Guadalupe is facing a loss of police protection from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. On Wednesday, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors could vote to cancel sheriff's office protection for the Phoenix suburb.

The move, which some on the board said they approve of, would put Guadalupe on a 180-day notice for cancellation of a contract originally set to expire in 2010.

A heated confrontation between Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the former town mayor, Rebecca Jimenez, and her goofy antics led the sheriff to cancel a contract between the sheriff's office and the town.

The contract pays Maricopa County $1.2 million annually for providing police protection in Guadalupe. Town officials are hoping for a change of heart from Arpaio and the board.

"At this point, we have no alternatives to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office,'' Guadalupe Mayor Frank Montiel said. He is the new mayor of Guadalupe.

Montiel replaced Rebecca Jimenez as mayor earlier this month. Jimenez remains on the town board.

Montiel said he wants to establish a better relationship with the sheriff's office and is hoping that the two sides can reach an agreement before the contract expires. "I hope Mr. Arpaio will see it that way, also. We do have new leadership,'' Montiel said.

Arpaio said he might be willing to continue police protection in Guadalupe if things go his way.

"If I want to come back in there with my suppression operation, I will,'' he said.

It was a crime suppression operation that stirred anger in former Mayor Jimenez. She called the sweep racial profiling and said she planned to consider other options for law enforcement. During one sweep, Jimenez confronted Arpaio on live television, which led the sheriff to cancel the policing contract.

Supervisors have been inclined to go with Arpaio's recommendation on the matter. The sheriff originally made it in April, when the discussions with Guadalupe officials were most heated.

"The sheriff is determined to move on, (and) outside law enforcement is largely a creation of his own ability and desire,'' Republican Supervisor Don Stapley said.

"When he calls me and says, "We're not going to continue there, it's real hard for me to say, "Yes, you are."

Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, a frequent critic of Arpaio's immigration policies, will oppose the cancellation. Wilcox's district includes the town. "Guadalupe is going to become a casualty of these immigration battles, and we're going to leave a small town without services,'' Wilcox said. "It's really irresponsible of us.''

As far as alternatives, Phoenix and the Department of Public Safety have declined to contract with Guadalupe.

Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris says doing so could lead some neighborhoods without adequate police protection.

The DPS also told town leaders it could not provide police services, DPS Deputy Director Pennie Gillette-Stroud said.

Gold Canyon Candle Company raided by Sheriff department!

Maricopa County sheriff's deputies raided Gold Canyon Candle Company at Arizona Avenue and Riggs Road today.

According to a press release, as many as 23 people are involved in identity theft, a White House staff member connection and an internal plan by plant employees to avoid capture by immigration or law enforcement authorities.

An employee's mother said deputies were inside, asking for immigration papers. Authorities say 65 people, most of who were illegals, were arrested in the raid. Twenty-three of those were booked on identity theft charges and 37 taken into custody based on their illegal status. An additional five U.S. citizens were arrested on outstanding warrants.

Gold Canyon Company spokeswoman Rebecca Clyde said deputies showed up with a search warrant, looking for specific individuals on charges of identity theft.

"Gold Canyon has always participated in e-verify, verifies all documentation with the government as required, and makes sure that there's appropriate W-2s and I-9s for every employee," according to a person named Clyde.

She said MCSO showed the human relations director the search warrant, but did not allow the attorney to review it. Clyde said the company didn't receive prior notification of the raid.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will provide more details later tonight.

Funny how the Gold Canyon Candle Company tries to say they follow all the required laws, but they get raided and are found to have over 60 illegal aliens working for them. I hope this company gets a large penalty like the law intended for these type of employers.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's deputies perform human smuggler search in West Valley

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's deputies performed a human smuggler search in the West Valley Wednesday, August 13th, which netted 22 arrests.

According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's office, 100 deputies and posse members hit "well known smuggling routes" to arrest law violators, including immigration law breakers.

The Sheriff's office says that they have received more than $36,000 in private donations to support the sheriff's sweeps.

The sheriff's department has also done crime sweeps in Phoenix and Guadalupe.

To-date the sweeps have netted 95 arrests under the human smuggling law.