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Maricopa Co. Sheriff Arpaio to Accept Mexican Sham ID's
3/1/02
I just got off the phone with an attorney from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tucson, Julie Soto. I asked her to give me the real bottom line, the cut and dried law, concerning whether or not City, County, State, etc., law enforcement officials are allowed to detain (apprehend) any individual based only on suspicion of being an illegal alien. The answer was yes. Therefore, when anyone presents the Mexican I.D. card as identification for any purpose, which proves that the bearer of the card is an illegal, any bona fide law enforcement officer, federal or NOT, may hold that person and call Border Patrol for the purpose of apprehension and subsequent deportation.
Please call Larry Black, at Sheriff Arpaio's office in Phoenix (602/256-1811) and ask him to tell the sheriff that his latest directive, that his deputies must accept the Mexican I.D. card as valid identification, and nothing more, is totally unacceptable to you.
Tell the good sheriff what he should be doing and why.
Also, if we could get a large number of our friends and neighbors to deluge Arpaio's office with these calls, the result might be surprising.
Keep in mind the fact that Arpaio is running for Governor this year.
Richard H. -- Elfrida, AZ