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Arpaio, feds near deal for enforcement

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PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he is close to reaching a deal with federal immigration officials to let deputies enforce immigration laws.

Arpaio said Wednesday that he has been negotiating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for months on an agreement letting trained deputies question, detain and arrest people they encounter who are in the country illegally.

Arpaio said he wants about 200 deputies and jail officers to take an eight-week course to learn how to enforce federal laws.

"I want my deputy sheriffs to be trained so if they … see something wrong and we find out the person is here illegally, then we will have the authority to question that person and put a hold on that person and bring them to jail," Arpaio said.

Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman, for federal immigration officials in Phoenix confirmed the talks but said she couldn't discuss details for legal reasons.

Such training is allowed under the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act, but a local agency's authority varies. Some want only detention officers trained so they can place immigration holds on inmates, while others want broader powers allowing them to detain people they've stopped on the streets for immigration violations.

Arpaio's disclosure of the talks came the day after a federal lawsuit was filed challenging the use of a state anti-smuggling law by Maricopa County to prosecute those who have been smuggled. Named in the suit is Arpaio, County Attorney Andrew Thomas and the county Board of Supervisors.

The suit was filed by several state legislators, two professors, several immigrant-rights groups and six immigrants charged under the state statute.