Sheriff Joe: Jail visitors could become inmates
by Jim Crawford

PHOENIX – Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced a new policy prohibiting illegal aliens from visiting inmates incarcerated in Maricopa County jails.

Arpaio stated the visitation ban is another tool in his arsenal to fight the increasing problem of illegal immigration in the county.

“I have a number of different ways available to me as sheriff of this county to find and arrest illegal aliens,” Arpaio said. “My deputies arrest them as they are illegally transported into the county; detention officers interview inmates in jail and can add immigration violation charges to the list of crimes they face; and now, when we determine which visitors to our jails are in the country illegally, we will arrest them in jail lobbies as well.”

Signs have been posted at all jail entrances warning visitors they are risking arrest if they attempt to enter a facility without proof of resident status or valid identification.

“Incidentally, the signs are all in English,” the sheriff added. “I run an English‑speaking jail here. Someone can interpret for them. I feel sure they’ll get the message. I have 160 federally trained deputies who know the laws and are very capable of making the arrests.”

Visitors to the five county jails and Tent City must present not only valid identification, but fill out a visitation request form before being granted an inmate visit.

In addition, a new Illegal Immigration Hotline, (602) 876 4154, can receive tips from citizens with information about known illegal aliens.

“It doesn’t make any sense to me to allow known criminal violators to visit inmates,” Arpaio told The Desert Advocate. “We don’t allow convicted felons to visit inmates and we don’t permit anyone who has been incarcerated during the last 12 months to visit people in the jails, so why would I allow known illegal aliens, who are considered lawbreakers, into my jails? I don’t think it’s right to have criminals visit other criminals in the jails.”

The new visitation ban will also mean a reduction in wait time for citizens visiting friends and family in the jail system. In some instances visitors are often required to wait up to four hours at some of the jails, Arpaio related.

“Our jail lobbies now resemble hospital emergency rooms or other social service lobbies,” Arpaio said. “Jail intelligence indicates that numerous visits to the jail systems are generated

by illegal aliens. They are competing for services with taxpaying (United States) citizens. It isn’t right.”

Currently, about 2,000 of the nearly 10,000 inmates housed in the Maricopa County jail system are illegal immigrants. Each inmate is permitted up to three visits per week, which would allow a total of 6,000 weekly visits to illegal immigrants.

“It will definitely cut down on the number of jail visitors,” Arpaio said. “We’ve already had a quarter million visitors this year. We average 38,000 to 40,000 visitors a month. We are the only ones enforcing the immigration laws. So far we’ve arrested 631 illegals since last year. I’m doing my part serving the people of this county. The politicians don’t seem to be wanting to do anything. I’ve got a gun and a badge and an obligation to the people who elected me.”