From robert mcelwain in Arizona
Today, Sat. July 25th, at the Home Depot near 36/38th and Thomas, Angry Jim is holding vigil with his signs saying "Don't Hire Illegals" etc. He has a presence with signs and a table and the pressure on the jornaleros is real. I drove past this morning, but didn't stop for consideration that it might escalate and give Angry Jim one more foe. However, Orlando and his friend were there talking to the jornaleros. Today is the second saturday in a row Angry Jim has parked his sorry ass there.
Last night we drove for CopWatch during the combined Arpaio/Bebuf (Sheriff of the county adjoining Maricopa, Pinal County) Sweep/Raid. It was the second night of the raids with 200 MCSO/PCSO (10 Pinal County officers reportedly took part). We witnessed a lot of combined stops with Chandler Police. My experience during the first 4 hours of driving was unlike any other raid. We were driving along Arizona Aveune between Ray Road and Chandler, sometimes driving west toward Alma School, Dobson. We (Salvador and two others in vehicle) didn't drive or patrol 5 minutes without seeing patrol car lights along the road or in neighborhood (barrios). We stopped, observed, video taped. There were cars towed away, people (white/brown) in handcuffs sitting on the curbs.
I guess we monitored 10 to 15 incidents. I have patrolled many times and never saw so many. I received over 50 text messages from the CopWatch dispatch team. They reported from the Scanners and the texts told of Sheriffs stopping vehicles all over the Southeast county. We weren't able to drive to the far away places, but there were at least 8 other teams. We finished and met about 10pm, but the Sheriff was able to continue sweeps of predominately brown people the rest of the night.
Here's a link to CBSand NBC news of the http://www.kpho.com/news/
http://www.azcentral.com/
Lastly, Bill Maher did the snow job on Janet Napolitano last night, covering her, not asking her about her old croney, Joe Arpaio who was sweeping through the county. Maher had over 50 protestors from NDLON (National Day Labor Org. Network) outside his studios. Maher was asked to question his guest, Homeland Sec'y Napolitano about the actions of Arpaio under her 287(g) program. He did provided the cover and talked about her work ethic (24/7, a way of implying she works so hard, she doesn't have a life....). Shameful. Maher's a fraud.
3 Detainees Freed In Crime Sweep
Because the three people had committed no other criminal or civil violations, the deputies were instructed by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to let them go free.
Arpaio said DHS breached a promise that he could operate under an existing agreement that allows him to enforce immigration law.
"I am stunned that this reversal came about so soon after I was promised the old policy would remain in effect for the immediate future," Arpaio said.
The illegal immigrants released by ICE did not commit any civil or criminals violations. Prior to the new ICE policy, they would have been booked, processed and deported as illegal immigrants, Arpaio said.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement late Friday afternoon. "The determination to release these individuals lies solely within the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. ICE officials gave permission to the MCSO officer to question the individuals and had no other engagement."
Arpaio's crime suppression operation netted 48 arrests Thursday, according to the sheriff's office.
The sweep, which is the 10th the sheriff's office has conducted, focused on the southeast cities in the Valley -- Chandler, Tempe and Mesa.
Of those arrested, 12 were suspected illegal immigrants.
The operation is set to continue through Saturday.
