Feds suing AZ *again* over immigration/federal enforcement

[Hoi Polloi]

It looks like the federal government is really going after Arizona on the immigration issue, now suing an AZ sheriff. The implications extend far beyond immigration and really rest on the fundamental issue of states' rights vs. federal power, which has long-reaching tentacles over everything from school lunch to speed limits to gun control.

I'm not sure if this should go in Political Issues or Off-Topic. Please move if necessary and accept my apologies--I took a 50% chance and chose one.

Here's a snippet from this USA Today article on the topic:

Arpaio's initial decision not to cooperate with this investigation has led the Sheriff's Office and the Justice Department into uncharted territory.

But Arpaio has changed course in recent weeks, implying that his office is trying to cooperate with federal civil-rights investigators.

"Can't they wait another week?" Arpaio asked. "Why can't they give us a little more time."

"I thought we were really close to getting this thing resolved.
[...]
The sheriff's failure to cooperate could cost the county millions of dollars of federal funding. Last year, the county received $113 million in federal funds, according to county records; of that, the Sheriff's Office received $3.8 million. County officials must agree that they will not discriminate in order to receive those funds.

Arpaio believes the inquiry is focused on his immigration sweeps, patrols where deputies flood an area of a city — in some cases heavily Latino areas — to seek out traffic violators and arrest other offenders.

Critics say his deputies pull people over for minor traffic infractions because of the color of their skin so they can ask them for their proof of citizenship.

Arpaio denies allegations of racial profiling, saying people are stopped if deputies have probable cause to believe they've committed crimes and that it's only afterward that deputies find many of them are illegal immigrants.

The sheriff's office has said half of the 1,032 people arrested in the sweeps have been illegal immigrants.

Last year, the federal government stripped Arpaio of his special power to enforce federal immigration law. The sheriff continued his sweeps through the enforcement of state immigration laws.

[tacticool]

They can't vote if they're in prison or deported, so it arresting criminals makes it harder for Democrats to get elected.

That's the real reason the Obama regime is harassing Arizona.

[Carry-a-Kimber]

Don't tell anyone Andy, but there is a secret question only citizens know the answer to when asked by gubment officials.

[G26ster]

As far as I know, they can't ask for proof of citizenship for anyone "on the spot." If you have committed an infraction, have no valid U.S. ID, then they can "suspect" you are an alien. If you are then you can produce a green card, visa, passport, etc. Those documents can be checked. if you have none of these, then you are believed to be here illegally.

[cbr600]

deleted

[Liberty]

Getting that National ID card the Feds are all gung ho about will solve the problem. Once everyone has this, all we will have to do is walk near the scanner and the gunsellers will know our names adresses, social security number,height weight, BMI, marriage status, criminal record, tax records, CHL status, credit history, childrens names, Medical records, model year of car, immigration status. ....

[The Annoyed Man]

From the Sheriff's Office: http://www.mcso.org/include/pr_pdf/Obama%20Lawsuit.pdf

This public domain document says:

The DoJ suit speaks loudly by what it does not say. It does not allege that Sheriff Arpaio or the MCSO have discriminated against anyone because the DoJ, after 18 months of soliciting allegations against Sheriff Arpaio, has come up empty. Even the purported basis for the suit, which alleges a lack of "cooperation," is a sham. In fact, after meeting with the DoJ last week, just last Friday, on behalf of MCSO, I informed the DoJ that MCSO would cooperate with all reasonable document requests and would schedule tours of MCSO facilities and interviews with senior MCSO command staff. We were awaiting a response from DoJ, and this lawsuit is apparently it.

This administration has never been about transparency, or about doing what is right. And they certainly have no problem bringing the entire weight of the federal government to bear against a single individual - particularly when that individual convicts them in the public awareness of failing to do their job.

This is gangsta government at its finest.

[Oldgringo]

From the Sheriff's Office: http://www.mcso.org/include/pr_pdf/Obama%20Lawsuit.pdf

This public domain document says:

The DoJ suit speaks loudly by what it does not say. It does not allege that Sheriff Arpaio or the MCSO have discriminated against anyone because the DoJ, after 18 months of soliciting allegations against Sheriff Arpaio, has come up empty. Even the purported basis for the suit, which alleges a lack of "cooperation," is a sham. In fact, after meeting with the DoJ last week, just last Friday, on behalf of MCSO, I informed the DoJ that MCSO would cooperate with all reasonable document requests and would schedule tours of MCSO facilities and interviews with senior MCSO command staff. We were awaiting a response from DoJ, and this lawsuit is apparently it.

This administration has never been about transparency, or about doing what is right. And they certainly have no problem bringing the entire weight of the federal government to bear against a single individual - particularly when that individual convicts them in the public awareness of failing to do their job.

This is gangsta government at its finest.

In my heart of hearts, I believe that you are absolutely correct.

[SwimFan85]

This is gangsta government at its finest.

It's typical Chicago politics. What else did we expect from BHO?

[4copas]

From the Sheriff's Office: http://www.mcso.org/include/pr_pdf/Obama%20Lawsuit.pdf

This public domain document says:

The DoJ suit speaks loudly by what it does not say. It does not allege that Sheriff Arpaio or the MCSO have discriminated against anyone because the DoJ, after 18 months of soliciting allegations against Sheriff Arpaio, has come up empty. Even the purported basis for the suit, which alleges a lack of "cooperation," is a sham. In fact, after meeting with the DoJ last week, just last Friday, on behalf of MCSO, I informed the DoJ that MCSO would cooperate with all reasonable document requests and would schedule tours of MCSO facilities and interviews with senior MCSO command staff. We were awaiting a response from DoJ, and this lawsuit is apparently it.

This administration has never been about transparency, or about doing what is right. And they certainly have no problem bringing the entire weight of the federal government to bear against a single individual - particularly when that individual convicts them in the public awareness of failing to do their job.

This is gangsta government at its finest.

In my heart of hearts, I believe that you are absolutely correct.

Ditto

[PRO]

I was very proud to see Texas on this list:

States Join Legal Brief Supporting Ariz. Immigration Law as Donations Roll Into Gov. Brewer's Defense Fund

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/09 ... latestnews" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;