Free Republic

Demoralized law enforcement officers in Arizona’s most populous county are leaving in droves while a controversial police monitor gets millions of taxpayer dollars to scrutinize their agency over allegations of racial discrimination, according to records obtained by Judicial Watch. Maricopa County is paying a politically-connected firm called Warshaw and Associates big bucks to reprimand the sheriff’s department for immigration enforcement as permitted by key provisions of a state law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. So far, the county has paid Warshaw $10.9 million to oversee the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), a force of about 700 deputies. The arrangement,...

Days after Judicial Watch exposed a new policy banning Phoenix police from contacting the feds after arresting illegal aliens, alarming pressure on the city council and chief of police has forced officials in Arizona’s largest city to postpone the order. Crafted at a Hispanic advisory committee that promotes open borders, the policy also prohibits officers from asking about suspects’ immigration status. The new policy’s two principle measures violate key provisions of a state law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court and leave the city vulnerable to costly lawsuits. In the aftermath of Judicial Watch’s story, which included a copy of...

Sanctuary City Update: Arizona Sheriff Releases Hundreds of Criminal Illegal Aliens Veteran Prosecuted for ‘Posting’ American Flag on Veteran’s Affairs Center Fence on Memorial Day Participate in CPAC With Us Sanctuary City Update: Arizona Sheriff Releases Hundreds of Criminal Illegal Aliens A crackdown on dangerous sanctuary policies for illegal immigrants can’t come a moment too soon. As with our most recent court challenge to San Francisco, Judicial Watch has been a leader (and often the only) legal opponent to sanctuary policies that ignore federal and state laws concerning illegal immigration at the expense of the public’s safety, the rule...

Newly sworn-in Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Paul Penzone, in a January 4 interview with Phoenix TV station ABC 15, referred to illegal aliens as “guests.”Penzone (shown), who assumed office on January 1 after defeating six-term Sheriff Joe Arpaio in November, said during the interview: We will need to work with the guests who are here in our nation and are pursuing citizenship and separate that from those who are committing crimes and make sure that we a caring community that is serious about public safety. While it may not be immediately apparent from this quote that Penzone was referring to...

New Sheriff Who Defeated Arpaio (With Help of Soros) Calls Illegal Aliens “Guests” Newly sworn-in Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Paul Penzone, in a January 4 interview with Phoenix TV station ABC 15, referred to illegal aliens as “guests.” Penzone , who assumed office on January 1 after defeating six-term Sheriff Joe Arpaio in November, said during the interview: We will need to work with the guests who are here in our nation and are pursuing citizenship and separate that from those who are committing crimes and make sure that we a caring community that is serious about public safety. While...