Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff sued by feds
By H. Nelson Goodson
September 2, 2010
Phoenix, Arizona - On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit naming Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the county jail and Maricopa County as defendents. The DOJ claims in an "unprecedented" move, Sheriff Arpaio has deliberately ignored requests to make jail records and documents available to the justice department. In June 2009, the DOJ had requested the documents when it began an investigation into civil rights violations and allegations Sheriff Arpaio and his deputy sheriff's were discriminating against Latinos.
Arpaio had until August 17 to turn in documents and records, and his attorney negiotiated an extension with the feds. Arpaio was given an extra week to comply.
The DOJ is looking into allegations, Arpaio's department discriminated, engaged in illegal searches and seizures, created policies for only English speaking only at the jail, which led to discrimination against inmates with limited English.
In early August, the DOJ notified Sheriff Arpaio that he had failed to comply with a federal investigation into the department's civil rights violation probe. Since March 2009, the Maricopa Sheriff's Department has been under a federal investigation for "allegations of unlawful searches and seizures, discriminatory police conduct and failure to provide basic services to individuals with limited English proficiency," according to DOJ records. The DOJ requested at least 51 files and Sheriff Arpaio had only comply in releasing few documents.
In 2010, the county budget included about $113 million in federal funds allocated to various departments and Supervisors were worried the feds might stop funding the county, if Arpaio doesn't comply.
Arpaio has refused to fully cooperate, because the feds had not made information available to him about what they are actually looking for.
Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ended their 287g agreement with Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. The 287(g) program, one of ICE's top partnership initiatives, allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions.
Although, Sheriff Arpaio continued immigration enforcement through delegated authority by an Arizona immigration enforcement state law. In 2007, Arizona enacted the Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA), prohibiting an employer from knowingly or intentionally employing an unauthorized alien and establishing penalties for employers in violation.
Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile
By H. Nelson Goodson
September 2, 2010
Phoenix, Arizona - On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit naming Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the county jail and Maricopa County as defendents. The DOJ claims in an "unprecedented" move, Sheriff Arpaio has deliberately ignored requests to make jail records and documents available to the justice department. In June 2009, the DOJ had requested the documents when it began an investigation into civil rights violations and allegations Sheriff Arpaio and his deputy sheriff's were discriminating against Latinos.
Arpaio had until August 17 to turn in documents and records, and his attorney negiotiated an extension with the feds. Arpaio was given an extra week to comply.
The DOJ is looking into allegations, Arpaio's department discriminated, engaged in illegal searches and seizures, created policies for only English speaking only at the jail, which led to discrimination against inmates with limited English.
In early August, the DOJ notified Sheriff Arpaio that he had failed to comply with a federal investigation into the department's civil rights violation probe. Since March 2009, the Maricopa Sheriff's Department has been under a federal investigation for "allegations of unlawful searches and seizures, discriminatory police conduct and failure to provide basic services to individuals with limited English proficiency," according to DOJ records. The DOJ requested at least 51 files and Sheriff Arpaio had only comply in releasing few documents.
In 2010, the county budget included about $113 million in federal funds allocated to various departments and Supervisors were worried the feds might stop funding the county, if Arpaio doesn't comply.
Arpaio has refused to fully cooperate, because the feds had not made information available to him about what they are actually looking for.
Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ended their 287g agreement with Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. The 287(g) program, one of ICE's top partnership initiatives, allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions.
Although, Sheriff Arpaio continued immigration enforcement through delegated authority by an Arizona immigration enforcement state law. In 2007, Arizona enacted the Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA), prohibiting an employer from knowingly or intentionally employing an unauthorized alien and establishing penalties for employers in violation.
Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile
Post a Comment