Sheriff wants border agents to join crime-fighting team

By Erica Meltzer

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik wants to deputize Border Patrol agents to work with his department's border crimes unit.

That would give Border Patrol agents the authority to enforce local and state laws, as well as federal immigration law.

Sheriff's Department officials say the program will give deputies better access to Border Patrol intelligence and allow better coordination and quicker response. They said the department has no desire to enforce immigration law.

But an immigrant advocate group, Derechos Humanos, has cried foul, saying allowing Border Patrol agents to enforce local laws would institutionalize racial profiling.

Pima County shares 130 miles of border with Mexico. In September, the Sheriff's Department started its border crimes unit, dissolving its safe-streets unit to free up some resources. A second squad was added in December using state money available to deal with immigration-related problems.

There are now two sergeants and 14 deputies assigned to the unit. If the Pima County Board of Supervisors approves an agreement with the Border Patrol Tuesday, they will be joined by one Border Patrol agent.

Sheriff's Department Bureau Chief George Heaney said the unit's mission is not to look for migrants or enforce immigration laws, though the deputies are cross-trained and authorized to do so. Instead, the unit focuses on crimes committed in the border area, including crimes against migrants.