http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/14/ldt.01.html"DOBBS: The mayor of Phoenix, tonight, is calling on the Justice Department to investigate Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio because of the actions he's taking to crackdown on illegal immigration. Mayor Phil Gordon claims that sheriff Arpaio's violating civil rights and in point of fact engaging in racial profiling. As Casey Wian now reports, Sheriff Arpaio says he's just enforcing the law.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been aggressively pursuing illegal aliens for years. In recent weeks he's deployed teams of deputies and volunteer posse members in largely Hispanic areas near Phoenix, arresting people for traffic violations and other minor offenses. Sheriff Joe calls the actions "crime-suppression sweeps." So far they've resulted in 150 arrests, including 73 illegal aliens and 40 suspects with outstanding warrants. He scoffs at accusations he's violating suspects' civil rights.
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA CO, ARIZONA: We're not violating anybody's civil liberties. Everybody's stopped for speeding, DUIs, you name it, every day thousands of tickets are given out. People are arrested for DUIs. I can go on and on. So, what is wrong with us enforcing the traffic violations also?
WIAN: Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon disagrees. This month he wrote U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and asked that the civil rights division of the Justice Department and the FBI investigate. The Anti- Defamation League, the American-Jewish Committee and the Arizona Ecumenical Council have joined Gordon's efforts.
MAYOR PHIL GORDON, PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Whites aren't being stopped. Blacks aren't being stopped, it's Hispanic. This based on race, because of the color of the skin.
WIAN: Gordon also claims Arpaio's sweeps interfere with undercover operations and have sparked potentially violent protests.
GORDON: People don't want to solve illegal immigration at the expense of the Constitution and racial profiling. They want congress to act, they want the border secured and they want immigration fixed.
WIAN: Arpaio says public opinion is on his side. A February Arizona State University poll found 79 percent of Phoenix residents favored giving local police more immigration enforcement power.
ARPAIO: So when he so the groundswell against him, his only last act is to go to Washington to camouflage this whole issue.
WIAN: The Justice Department says it will review Mayor Gordon's letter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has already reviewed Sheriff Joe's crime-suppression sweeps. ICE found that his tactics are within the guidelines of their agreement allowing Arpaio's deputies to enforce immigration law, because they are apprehending suspects for other crimes and then determining their immigration status -- Lou.
DOBBS: Yeah, I mean, this one looks -- this -- this is pretty amazing. The ADL, the American Jewish Committee, and the American Ecumenical Council, all of these groups suddenly are in an advocacy role. They're not functioning here as watchdog agencies of any kind, they are out and out advocacy groups on this.
WIAN: And they're going against the will of the people in Phoenix, Arizona. They want, polls show, over and over, they want local law enforcement to be involved in helping the feds enforce immigration law.
DOBBS: Well, with 79 percent, that's the -- that's the number, 79 percent, you would think that a person who is so quick to pander as Mayor Phil Gordon on this issue, would be paying some attention. I mean, what in the world is going through his mind?
WIAN: Well, he says that he believes that people are afraid to go out in the streets in largely Latino communities in Phoenix. I asked him why would anybody who is here legally and hasn't committed a crime be afraid to go out in the streets? He says, they are, children are afraid of being separated from their parents who may be here illegally. He also says the Phoenix Police Department does cooperate with ICE to a certain extent. They've helped them enforce thousands of illegal aliens.
DOBBS: Oh, that's baloney -- that's baloney and you and I know it. I mean, you know what? I mean, that's just baloney. It's one of the things I'll take up with the Phoenix mayor here tomorrow, Casey. Casey Wian, thank you very much. I mean, this report really -- I mean, this is -- this is playing games. And those games have got to stop. I'll be talking with Phil Gordon, the mayor of Phoenix here, and I'll be asking a few of those questions and some more. We'll find out what in the world he's thinking about.
And in our poll tonight: Do you believe more law enforcement officials should be using every law at their disposal to crack down on illegal immigration? Yes or no? Cast your vote at loudobbs.com, we'll have the results here shortly."
Topic: The ADL and AJC both owe Joe Arpaio an apology (Read 863 times)