Napolitano On Sheriff Arpaio: ‘He Was Unwilling To Accept There Were Standards That Needed To Be Met’
Napolitano On Sheriff Arpaio: ‘He Was Unwilling To Accept There Were Standards That Needed To Be Met’
Today at the Center for American Progress, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano gave her first full discussion on immigration policy and what DHS is doing to lay the foundation for comprehensive immigration reform in 2010. One of the more controversial steps DHS has taken is the revision and standardization of its 287(g) immigration‐enforcement agreements with state and local police as part of DHS’ efforts to prioritize the removal of dangerous undocumented immigrants. Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio made national headlines last month when he belligerently stated that he would continue to enforce immigration laws on the streets of Maricopa County, despite the fact that DHS deliberately limited his power to checking the immigration status of inmates who entered his jails.
Napolitano sat down with ThinkProgress today to explain what drove DHS’ decision to limit some of Arpaio’s authority amidst rampant allegations of racial profiling against the Sheriff’s Office:
I’ve known Sheriff Joe for a long time, and my view was the 287(g) — the agreements that were in existence were pretty standard-less. They had no terms, they had no priorities. They were pretty basic…It was time to build some standards into 287(g) and to put some organization into this.
There are two kinds of 287(g) — one is the task force model where local law enforcement pairs with federal law enforcement and the other is the jail where you’re doing work to move and identify criminal aliens and help with the immigration system. The jail model has never been an issue with Sheriff Joe…it is the task force model that has been problematic. And he was unwilling to accept that there were standards that needed to be met. He wanted to go off on his own. And so that’s where we had a parting of ways.
Watch it:
If Arpaio had showed that he was willing to accept the standards DHS was requiring, he would’ve had to stop conducting blind immigration raids and prioritize “the identification and removal of criminal aliens.” Arpaio would also have had to agreed to be bound by civil rights laws and subject to greater oversight by DHS’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. DHS indicated that police agencies who could not meet the new uniform standards would lose their federal authority.
Arpaio has stuck to his promise of continuing his notorious immigrant “crime sweeps” despite the fact that he lacks federal permission to do so. During the event’s Q&A, Napolitano openly opposed Arpaio’s continued immigration raids, stating that she doesn’t believe that they are the best way to ensure public safety. However, she also indicated that he is operating under state, not federal laws and thus it’s up to the Department of Justice to address Arpaio’s alleged civil rights infringements as part of its ongoing investigation.
Napolitano’s sensible explanation countered the defiant account Arpaio hastily provided the cameras back in October. Arpaio has adamantly insisted that he is simply the White House’s “poster boy” and that DHS singled him out and took his authority as an example. Arpaio also said, “if she [Napolitano] doesn’t like what I’m doing, that’s ok. I’m still the Sheriff.”
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E-VERIFY OVERTIME CAN REDUCE THE 20-30 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THE WORKPLACE BY “ATTRITION.” WE DON’T NEED DEPORTATION ON A MASSIVE SCALE AS THEY WILL LEAVE ON THERE OWN. POLITICIANS CAN ADD AMENDMENTS TO THE 1986 IMMIGRATION BILL, INSTEAD OF THE TRAVESTY OF FORCING A NEW ONE ON THE FINANCIALLY HURTING AMERICAN PEOPLE?
Bloggers nationwide brought to the public attention the need to stop the infiltration of illegal immigrants in the workplace. Now the voice of –THE PEOPLE–are demanding sealing the borders tight and that every corrupt politician catering to corporate welfare–MUST GO, Starting with Sen.Harry Reid (D-NV) Special attention should be drawn to incorrigible governors, lawmakers, mayors judges and elected officials who have ordained policies of SANCTUARY STATES.
Hopefully E-Verify will become a nationwide vetting system to remove illegal workers from your office or from your factory? It has shown its efficiency, because the open border organizations have moved heaven and earth to smash it? Now it is firmly entrenched in every American workers mind, that it can save their jobs. Even Sen.Harry Reid, who tried to table E-Verify failed miserably and now, is funded for another 3 years. This gives reputable politicians time to make E-Verification mandatory as it’s been evaluated as a good immigration enforcement instrument and it could be introduced for other purposes. As a national legal people’s identifier and combined with other data bases, it usages could be essential to recognize fraudulent drivers license, auto registration. Child support, health care and many other verifications of individual who think they are safe from government. But its main restrictions will to terminate foreign nationals appropriating US workers jobs.
In the future this data base could be established at airport terminals for departures and arrivals. It will be an ongoing fight against the opponents such as US chamber of Commerce, ACLU, Council of Foreign Relations, business organizations, agriculture and other groups. It is certain to be a bargaining chip in shoving through another Comprehensive Immigration Reform package, that will devastate America. An overflow of poor, uneducated humanity, looking for free health care will start pouring into our nation. Around the world rumors are already flying that if you slip across the sieve of a border, you can get work as low income and get all your taxes back by lying on the tax form. Tax credits for non-existent supported children is an industry, that costs the US taxpayer billions a year. If Napolitano thinks that –ALL–Democrats will accept another trillion dollar budget deficit, cause by a new BLANKET AMNESTY.
That bridge is still available in Brooklyn..? Very few Republicans will accept another AMNESTY? Not too much chance from Independents. Nor will legal immigrants or ethnic Americans who were born here, fought in four wars. Even people from South of the border are very reticent of allowing more people in, when there is 15 million unemployed. It means millions of low skilled workers would feel the crunch first, as already illegal immigrants who take their wages under the table, especially in Sanctuary States and undermine US labor?
I know quite a few Democrats who signed onto the Obama Presidency that will fight against any travesty called Comprehensive Immigration Reform? The one in 1986 was a complete disaster and unable to handle the sudden in surge of millions of more destitute people, thinking they were going to collect welfare? The doors to America are wide open, but nobody in their right mind is going to accept the first surge of 2-3 million coming from the South when they hear Lady Napolitano proclaiming a new AMNESTY? Those who believe in America’s survival, without OVERPOPULATION as stated by the US Census bureau better read facts, not the lies at NUMBERSUSA. Those who want details of corruption in WASHINGTON and state government go to JUDICIAL WATCH. Overpopulation, traffic hell should go to CAPSWEB. Other sites of interest on Immigration enforcement is ALIPAC and AMERICAN PATROL. We the people have the ultimate power to throw out anti-sovereignty incumbent politicians. Call and command these do-nothings to–STOP–this facade at 202-224-3121.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:50 am