Az. Sheriff Speaks Out Against Immigration Law
Calls Law 'National Embarassment'
Jason Barry
Reporter, KPHO.com
POSTED: 5:53 pm MST April 28, 2010
UPDATED: 6:42 pm MST April 28, 2010
TUCSON -- Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik didn't hold back in his public attack on the new immigration bill, during a news conference in Tucson on Wednesday.
"I think the law is devisive," said Dupnik. "It's stupid, and it's racist. It's a national embarrassment."
According to Dupnik, the new immigration law, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer last week, will put undue pressure on officers and cost taxpayers more money. He also said the law is unconstitutional.
"The state law is unnecessary," said Dupnik. "We already have the authority to arrest illegal immigrants. We take them into custody and turn them over to the border patrol."
The sheriff would not go so far as to say he won't enforce the new law, which will give Arizona the toughest immigration law in the country, but he did imply that he'll take a close look at the details before determining if he'll change protocol on how his officers handle encounters with potential illegal immigrants.
CBS-5 news contacted sheriff's offices across the state to see if they plan to comply with the new immigration law.
All of them indicated plans to comply with the new immigration law including the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
"We've been enforcing state and federal immigration laws for three years. Where's all the uproar?" said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "We treat everybody the same. We do not go on a street corner and grab people because they look like they are from another country."
Calls Law 'National Embarassment'
Jason Barry
Reporter, KPHO.com
POSTED: 5:53 pm MST April 28, 2010
UPDATED: 6:42 pm MST April 28, 2010
TUCSON -- Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik didn't hold back in his public attack on the new immigration bill, during a news conference in Tucson on Wednesday.
"I think the law is devisive," said Dupnik. "It's stupid, and it's racist. It's a national embarrassment."
According to Dupnik, the new immigration law, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer last week, will put undue pressure on officers and cost taxpayers more money. He also said the law is unconstitutional.
"The state law is unnecessary," said Dupnik. "We already have the authority to arrest illegal immigrants. We take them into custody and turn them over to the border patrol."
The sheriff would not go so far as to say he won't enforce the new law, which will give Arizona the toughest immigration law in the country, but he did imply that he'll take a close look at the details before determining if he'll change protocol on how his officers handle encounters with potential illegal immigrants.
CBS-5 news contacted sheriff's offices across the state to see if they plan to comply with the new immigration law.
All of them indicated plans to comply with the new immigration law including the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
"We've been enforcing state and federal immigration laws for three years. Where's all the uproar?" said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "We treat everybody the same. We do not go on a street corner and grab people because they look like they are from another country."
