AZ Sheriff's Posse Searches out Illegals

Immigration crackdown intensifies

William Hermann and Judi Villa
The Arizona Republic
May. 11, 2006 12:00 AM

Valley law enforcement agencies are ramping up efforts to combat illegal immigration, but they are using the state's anti-human-smuggling statute to tackle the problem from two different directions.

On the one hand, a multi-agency financial crimes task force has been using surveillance and undercover operations for the past two months to target smugglers and cripple them financially.

On the other hand, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has mobilized a posse to seek out and arrest undocumented immigrants for conspiracy to smuggle themselves into the United States.

The efforts come on the heels of an anti-human-smuggling statute that took effect in Arizona in August and gave prosecutors a tool to go after "coyotes," or smugglers, who traffic in undocumented immigrants. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office later issued an opinion saying undocumented immigrants suspected of paying coyotes could be prosecuted as conspirators.

Both approaches initially appear to be having an impact.

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Sheriff's posse targets illegal immigrants in Arizona
May 11, 2006, 06:47 AM

The sheriff of Arizona's most populous county has mobilized a posse to seek out and arrest illegal aliens for conspiracy to smuggle themselves into the United States.

The efforts come on the heels of an anti-human-smuggling statute that took effect in Arizona in August and gave prosecutors a tool to go after "coyotes," or smugglers, who traffic in illegal immigrants.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office later issued an opinion saying illegal immigrants suspected of paying coyotes could be prosecuted as conspirators.

On Wednesday night, a 250-member posse of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio launched patrols in desert areas and major roadways southwest of Phoenix in search of illegal immigrants to arrest.

The group was comprised of existing Maricopa County sheriff's deputies and members of the department's 3,000-member posse reserve of trained volunteers.

The posse was patrolling the area here for illegal immigrants who pay smugglers to cross through Arizona, the busiest illegal entry point along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.