Sheriff's posse patrols for illegal immigrants

County arresting migrants under smuggling law
Judi Villa
The Arizona Republic
May. 24, 2006 12:00 AM

For nearly three months, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has been the only law enforcement agency in the state seeking out and arresting undocumented immigrants for conspiracy to smuggle themselves into the United States.

The genesis was an anti-human smuggling statute, passed in August, that 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.

Since March, 209 undocumented immigrants and 15 smugglers have been arrested.

Despite objections from the Arizona Civil Liberties Union and a court challenge, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he'll keep at it. The message is simple, he says, and resonates with "the silent majority": "Stay out of Maricopa County. You're going to go to jail."

A recent poll conducted by KAET-TV and the journalism school at Arizona State University found that 59 percent of registered voters support Arpaio's efforts.

"I have compassion for the Mexican people," Arpaio said. "I'm torn between compassion and doing my job as the elected sheriff.