PHOENIX — Gov. Janet Napolitano ordered the state to end an
anti-illegal immigration contract with a high-profile sheriff Tuesday
so she can pay for a larger effort to track down thousands of felons
around Arizona.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Tuesday criticized the
governor's decision as a maneuver to thwart his efforts against
illegal immigrants.
"Dirty politics are at work right now," Arpaio said at a news
conference.
Arpaio, who describes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff" and is
best known for feeding jail inmates green bologna sandwiches, clothing
them in pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, received
praise for his anti-immigration efforts from many who believe the
federal government isn't doing enough to remove people in the U.S.
illegally.
But his raids and sweeps of illegal immigrants in Phoenix and nearby
Guadalupe have drawn protests from community leaders and civil
liberties advocates. Arpaio, a Republican, has also been criticized
for letting thousands of felony warrants go unserved while he chased
illegal immigrants.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, there are about
59,000 outstanding, unserved felony warrants in the state. The
majority are in Maricopa County, the state's most populated county.
Napolitano spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer denied that the Democratic
governor was trying to cut into efforts to stop illegal immigration.
"It couldn't be further from the truth," L'Ecuyer said.
Pennie Gillette-Stroud, the DPS chief of the criminal investigations
division, said Napolitano's multi-agency task force will focus on
violent, repeat criminals as well as undo***ented immigrants with
felony warrants.
To help pay for the task force, the state Department of Public Safety
won't renew a $1.6 million contract with the sheriff's office. That
contract ends May 17th, DPS spokesman Bart Graves said.
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