Pearce Demands End to Sanctuary Cities.

Arizona State Senate

1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007

Sen. Russell Pearce, R-18
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
602-926-5760

NEWS RELEASE


Oct. 21, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pearce Demands End to Sanctuary City and “Catch and Release” Policies

Legislation would crack down on these illegal practices



(STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX) – State Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, J.D. Hayworth, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Mark Spencer and others today demanded the end to sanctuary city and “catch and release” policies and pledged to deal with recent attempts by the federal government to erode the progress made in Arizona in combating this problem. Pearce announced he will file a citizen’s initiative and has the support of the Governor’s Office to eliminate these illegal practices.



“We pledge to work with the governor to end these ‘catch and release’ policies and remove the political handcuffs on our law enforcement. Enough is enough,” Pearce said. “The Governor’s Office has assured me they will work with us to end these illegal policies and support our law enforcement and our Hometown Heroes.”



Pearce points to the federal government and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano for trying to erode the progress made in Arizona with our tough and effective laws.



“If our leaders want to address the growing disdain, they must first restore trust with the American people. If you say you are going to secure our borders, then secure them, if you say you are going to enforce the law, then enforce it. If you take an oath of office then keep it,” Pearce declared.



Pearce unveiled his legislation, the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act,” that would crack down on illegal immigration in the following three ways:


1. Outlawing sanctuary city policies by prohibiting cities and towns in Arizona from limiting or restricting enforcement federal immigration laws to less than the full extent of the law. This state has seen and continues to see various open border special interests groups constantly apply pressure to give illegal immigrants a pass. Outlawing sanctuary cities makes sure the dedicated men and women in Arizona law enforcement are not handcuffed by bureaucrats who would turn a blind eye to the illegal immigration crisis.



2. The second provision would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for an illegal alien to enter into or be on any public or private land in Arizona if they are in violation of federal immigration law. The charge is elevated to a Class 4 felony if someone is convicted, deported and they return to Arizona. The charge would rise to a Class 2 felony if this person violates this section of the law while committing other crimes involving illegal drugs, weapons or terrorism.



3. The third provision puts some needed teeth in the state’s employer sanctions law. It would give civil subpoena power to prosecuting agencies enabling them to question witnesses and obtained needed documentation. That’s the same type of authority that is used by the Arizona Insurance Department and the Department of Liquor License and Control. This authority will give prosecutors the ability to more efficiently and more quickly investigate claims. It will essentially open the second half of the employer sanctions law that up until now has dealt primarily with criminal complaints against employees.



“We have seen sharp decreases in both crime and illegal immigration, which demonstrates that enforcement works. What we need to do now is safeguard that enforcement by making some much needed changes in state law. Illegal immigration creates one of the greatest hardships on working families who live in neighborhoods impacted by kidnappings, home invasions, gangs, drugs and drop houses. They see their wages depressed by greedy business owners who exploit an illegal work force. This law will also have a deterrent effect. Until the federal government wakes up to the crisis, illegal border crossers will at least be on notice to stay out of Arizona,” Pearce said.



County Attorney Andrew Thomas said “I greatly appreciate Sen. Pearce’s continuing efforts to reign in illegal immigration by giving law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to address this crisis. By strengthening our employer sanctions law, outlawing sanctuary city policies, and making it a crime to illegally immigrate into Arizona, this legislation would send a strong deterrent message to would-be illegal immigrants and the people who hire them.”



Sheriff Joe Arpaio stated, “This new legislation is very important given the fact that the federal government has moved to restrict my authority to enforce illegal immigration laws. Their recent action in doing so makes this legislation even more critical to ensure that state laws are in place so I can continue to do my job.”



Officer Mark Spencer, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association stated, “It’s never wrong to support the rule of law. Phoenix Police officers see a clear connection between illegal immigration and the quality of life in the city of Phoenix. When it comes to illegal immigration, rank and file Phoenix police officers have paid a heavy price protecting our communities. Over 80 percent of PLEA members are supportive of legislation that gives them the discretionary ability to enforce immigration statutes.”



Pearce shifted his plan to address this crisis from a call for an immediate special session to filing a citizen’s initiative and letting the voters decide. He remains open to tackling it in a special session or in the regular session that begins in January. He is pleased to have the support of the Governor’s Office to end these illegal practices.



Supporters of this legislation include the following members of the Arizona Legislature:

Rep. Frank Antenori

Rep. Cecil Ash

Rep. Ray Barnes

Rep. Andy Biggs

Rep. Judy Burges Rep. Steve Court

Rep. Rich Crandall

Rep. Sam Crump

Rep. Doris Goodale

Rep. David Gowan

Rep. Laurin Hendrix

Rep. John Kavanagh

Rep. Debbie Lesko

Rep. Lucy Mason

Rep. Nancy McLain

Rep. Steve Montenegro

Rep. Rick Murphy

Rep. Warde Nichols

Rep. Franklin Pratt

Rep. Michele Reagan

Rep. Carl Seel

Rep. David Stevens

Rep. Andy Tobin

Rep. Jerry Weiers

Rep. Jim Weiers

Rep. Vic Williams

Rep. Steve Yarbrough

Sen. Sylvia Allen

Sen. Bob Burns

Sen. Ron Gould

Sen. Linda Gray

Sen. Jack Harper

Sen. John Huppenthal

Sen. Al Melvin

Sen. Jonathan Paton

Sen. Steve Pierce

Sen. Thayer Verschoor

Sen. Jim Waring



Additional supporters of the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” include:

Latest poll: 89 percent of the public
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas
Mark Spencer, president, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association
Ed Tuffly, Local 2544 president, National Border Patrol Council
Brian Fieros Thomas Hardie, Local Union No. 394 Plasterers' and Cement Masons
Arizona Republican Party by a unanimous resolution
Rob Haney, Maricopa County Republican Party Chairman
Tom Husband, Maricopa County Republican Party executive director
Sandy Doty, member-at-large, Maricopa County Republican Party
Pinal Co. Sheriff Babeu
Mohave Co. Sheriff Sheahan
Yavapai Co. Sheriff Waugh
Cochise Co. Sheriff Dever
Gila Co. Sheriff Armer
Navajo Co. Sheriff Clark
Graham Co. Sheriff Allred
Greenlee Co. Sheriff Tucker
The Maricopa Deputy's Law Enforcement Association
Arizona Highway Patrol Association
Bryan Stoller, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police
Col. Albert Rodriguez , president of You Don't Speak for Me
Arizona African American Republican Club
Arizona Republican Assembly
Anna Gaines, president, American Citizens United
NAILEM
The Pachyderms
9-11 Families for a Secure America
United Sovereign America (USA)

Pearce Calls for Special Session

Pearce calls for special session to address illegal immigration crisis



WHAT:

Advocates of tougher illegal immigration laws will hold a press conference Wednesday urging Gov. Jan Brewer to call a special session to address the immigration crisis and recent attempts by the federal government to erode Arizona’s progress in combating this problem.



"If our leaders want to address the growing disdain, they must first restore trust with the American people. If you say you are going to secure our borders, then secure them, if you say we are going to enforce the law, then enforce it. If you take an oath of office, then keep it," declared Sen. Russell Pearce.



Surrounded by more than 200 police officers and other supporters, Sen. Pearce will unveil legislation that would outlaw all sanctuary cities policies and toughen sanctions on people in the country illegally. Specifics of the bill and a list of 35+ legislators and additional proponents will be distributed.


“We have seen sharp decreases in both crime and illegal immigration, which demonstrates that enforcement works. What we need to do now is safeguard that enforcement by making some much needed changes in state law,” Pearce said.




WHO:

Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas
J.D. Hayworth, talk radio show host, KFYI
Mark Spencer, president, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association
Arizona Fraternal Order of Police members
Hundreds of members of state and federal law enforcement, citizen groups, victims of violent crimes and other supporters



WHEN:

10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009



WHERE:

Arizona State Capitol, Senate lawn
1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Ariz.





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Sheriff Joe Fights Back

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio seems to be getting a little tired of being under attack by the Arizona Republic and instead of surrendering to those that by ink by the barrel, he has decided to take the bull by the horns and wrote a Special to the Republic article fighting back.

What follows is Sheriff Joe's Special to the Republic.
The real witch hunt is vs. Sheriff's Office
by Joe Arpaio - Sept. 26, 2009 12:00 AM
Special for the Republic

The Arizona Republic's editorial on Wednesday suggests that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office should be removed from the investigation of Don Stapley because of a political dispute between the Board of Supervisors member and myself ("Sheriff must be removed from Stapley case").

What nonsense.

As usual, the paper's Editorial Board fails to mention some very pertinent points that run contrary to their assertions.

First, the Maricopa County Anti-Corruption Enforcement Unit was started by County Attorney Andrew Thomas and me in 2007 with the aim of fighting political corruption and white-collar crime.

It is the duty of both offices to follow up on any and all leads pointing to the possibility of such crimes.

Turning their backs on information out of political favor to a fellow elected official would be tantamount to dereliction of duty.

Additionally, our offices are not the only law enforcement agencies to investigate elected officials.

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat and apparent darling of The Arizona Republic Editorial Board, over the years has also investigated several of Arizona's elected Republican officials for various crimes.

Goddard's investigations often were not earth-shaking. Charges were minor, many were reduced, and still other cases were found not guilty. Why doesn't The Arizona Republic shame Goddard for his poor record as it so willingly does County Attorney Thomas and me?

The newspaper also makes the claim in its editorial that I only go after my political enemies, such as County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, former county schools Superintendent Sandra Dowling, Stapley and Goddard.

The fact of the matter is this: None of these officials were my adversaries when the investigations against them launched. To say that each one was a friend of mine would go too far; it's true, because in politics, a person has no friends. But they were by no means my enemies.
The paper also makes the claim that my deputies went after Dowling on a Sunday morning, replete with armored SWAT team members and three helicopters. The search warrant was executed on a Wednesday evening, not a Sunday morning; there were no armored SWAT members present and no sheriff's helicopters were called to the scene. The fact is that the Dowling case was indicted by Goddard, with the final decision being made by prosecutors. It was not my doing.

The paper constantly criticizes me for orchestrating political witch hunts, and yet it fails to write about what a huge political witch hunt is now going on against me. The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice are investigating me and my office. Why? Because politically they disagree with how I enforce illegal-immigration and corruption laws in Maricopa County.

The Arizona Republic has joined forces in the witch hunt and has printed numerous misleading headlines, editorial commentaries and negative news articles relating to illegal-immigration and corruption cases.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander, except at The Arizona Republic, where writers and editors always make me out as the evil villain of Maricopa County. They have done this now for 17 years, and sadly, there is no end in sight.


Joe Arpaio is sheriff of Maricopa County

ANDY THOMAS EXPLORING RUN FOR AG

The Arizona Republic has reported that Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will officially form an exploratory committee today for election in 2010 as Arizona Attorney General.

Two other Republicans, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and Arizona Representative Sam Crump of LD 6, have already announced an interest in running for AG in 2010, along with Democrat Arizona Representative David Lujan.

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat, is term limited and has said he is running for governor. Goddard is the son of former Arizona Governor Sam Goddard and is a former mayor of Phoenix. In 2002, Goddard defeated Thomas, who was the Republican nominee for AG.

During Thomas' time as county attorney he made a name for himself as a fighter of illegal immigration and corruption. His relations with the county board of supervisors as been sometimes stormy since indicting Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley.

Some county officials are looking forward to Thomas leaving the office of county attorney. Maricopa County Supervisor Andy Kunasek said that in the past 8 to 10 month, Thomas has turned the law "into a weapon" against them, The Republic reported.

Maricopa County Manager David Smith said that it would take a change of players to fix the dysfunction in county government.

Thomas has until May 26, 2010 to formally announce and, because of the resign to run law, resign as county attorney, then the board of supervisors would appoint an interim county attorney to hold the office until a special election in November of 2010 for someone to serve the last two years of Thomas' term.