Posted on 01/15/2008 8:06:17 AM PST by radar101
The Daily Courier/Matt Hinshaw
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio talks during the Yavapai Republican Men’s Forum Monday afternoon at Hotel St. Michael in Prescott. Arpaio was the guest speaker at the forum.
PRESCOTT - "I'm one politician who knows where the border is," commented Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio as he spoke at the Yavapai Republican Men's Forum at the Hotel St. Michael in Prescott Monday.
Arpaio was here to talk about the new immigration law that went into effect on Jan. 1.
"We have a new employer sanction law to address the illegal immigration problem," he said. "I am a big supporter of small business, but you do have to check out someone's status before you hire
him.
"I have 160 of my officers trained to enforce the federal immigration law," he continued. "Using the state and federal law, if these officers come across anybody in the course of their duties, they have the authority to ask where people are from. If they are illegal, throw them in jail. When we arrest someone and take them to jail, we give them a crash course in English."
He joked that he teaches the illegals to say "God Bless America" and makes them listen to religious songs.
"I'm hoping the Civil Liberties Union will sue me," Arpaio said.
Over the past several months, Arpaio said of the 30,000 people he has processed through the jail, 8,200 people are illegals.
"We investigate them," he said. "Police don't ask, so we ask. We determine their identity."
He stressed that instead of building fences along the border, the country should "put the illegals in jail as soon as they come across." He explained that, if illegals cannot send money back to their loved ones and cannot work, they might not bother to come here.
Arpaio does not like hearing excuses.
"We don't have enough prosecutors; we don't have the manpower," he said. "The bottom line is the feds and the police don't want to lock up illegals. It is frustrating at times. I'll do all I can to put them in jail. It is the role of the sheriff to serve the people."
He asked for help.
"Please follow the new regulations and routine. Show you did everything you could to follow the law. We want to do it right," he said.
Arpaio spoke of his famous tent city.
"We have 2,000 inmates living in those tents," he said. "It's nice in the summertime. I take the media through and the temperature reads 148 degrees. People cannot believe it. But we have people fighting for our country and they are living in tents. As long as I'm sheriff, we will have those tents."
He boasted of his cost per meal per inmate, which averages about 40 cents a day.
"We serve them brunch at 11 a.m. consisting of a bologna sandwich and donated orange," Arpaio explained. "They have a hot meal at dinner. Usually, it costs $1.50 per meal times three."
Arpaio also spoke of his chain gangs, which include women, and making inmates wear pink underwear.
"They hate pink," he laughed. "When I leave office, I will be known as the pink underwear sheriff."
He mentioned the multitude of lawsuits and "garbage" he has put up with in his 15 years as sheriff.
"I took some heat in the last election, but I'm still around. I would've never taken this job if I had to report to a bureaucrat. I will do my best and keep fighting."
He ended his speech on a cryptic note.
"You will be shocked in about three weeks," he said. "When you find out what Maricopa County is doing with the illegals, you will be shocked and angry. It is very disgusting what you are going to find out about your state government."
Sheriff Joe should definitely be running our Homeland Security dept. No one else in government comes close to enforcing our borders as does he.
Sheriff Joe for head of Homeland Security or AG.
I’m surprised Bush, and his friends like Johnny Sutton and others in government have not gone after Sheriff Joe Arpaio yet.
I’m not.
ping
bump
“I’m surprised Bush, and his friends like Johnny Sutton and others in government have not gone after Sheriff Joe Arpaio yet.”
If they went after Joe there would be hell to pay and they know it. He is too popular with Americans. Joe is the only politician that I can honestly say is doing what he was elected to do! We need thousands more like him.
I agree.
Johnny Sutton may well try to frame him yet. That man has to be a sociopath to have done what he has done to innocent people and lie with a straight face.
“You will be shocked in about three weeks,” he said. “When you find out what Maricopa County is doing with the illegals, you will be shocked and angry. It is very disgusting what you are going to find out about your state government.”
What in the world could this be?
Arpaio is great. He is a good example of a politician that is unapologetically conservative, yet he keeps winning elections with no problem. He doesn’t swerve to the left just before elections like a lot of our Rino’s do.
Something about hiring practices, if I were to guess. Perhaps, exempting state government agencies from the new employer sanctions laws?
I've marked my calendar!
I was very pleased when the sheriff endorsed Mitt Romney!
my guess...
State subsidized housing, health care, education, job assistance, and welfare.
A glimmer of Hope. God bless and protect Joe!
Makes one wonder why someone like him is not running HLS.
I wonder if he is going to run for governor and illegal immigration will be the main platform?
I think it means they let them go and give them benefits. would not surprise me.
"Sheriff Joe Arpaio was there to back Mitt Romney. Romney’s a great guy, a great businessman, a great organizer, he told anyone who would listen, and will surround himself with good people who’ll get the job done."
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