Policy

No Court Ruling Can Stop Crazy Joe Arpaio

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Though a federal judge blocked key components of Arizona's immigration law from going into effect tomorrow, that ruling might not rein in rogue law enforcement in Maricopa County in any meaningful way. ABC News

interviewed Sheriff Joe Arpaio prior to the judge's decision, and Arpaio made it clear that he's going to round up some illegals, naysayers be damned.

ABC News: I know you were prepared for another sweep, 200 deputies and volunteers prepared to go out for a crime and immigration sweep. You're going to do that no matter what happens with the new law, whether the judge puts a hold on it or not?

Arpaio: Yeah, it doesn't matter. We've been doing it for three years, enforcing other illegal immigration state laws. So nothing is going to change. We will continue enforcing all the laws, especially the illegal immigration laws.

Nor is he worried about running out of jail space.

Arpaio: I put up more tents, so I have plenty of room to house any violators.

As for protestors engaging in civil disobedience, there's plenty of room for them, too.

Arpaio: I'm ready for it. I hear rumor they want to block my jails. They want to block the jails, they can have a little trip in the jails. So we're not going to put up with any civil disobedience.

Browse Reason's coverage of Arpaio's brazenly authoritarian antics here.