Citizens claim profiling, join suit against Arpaio

[flashl]

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is facing more accusations of racial profiling stemming from his ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants. This time, four U.S. citizens claim they were stopped and mistreated by sheriff's deputies because they are Latino.

In one case, a brother and sister say deputies unnecessarily stopped them in front of their north Phoenix auto-repair shop and forced them out of the car with weapons raised. In another, a husband and wife say sheriff's deputies improperly asked for a Social Security card after they encountered a roadblock while leaving Bartlett Lake with their two children.

The accusations were added Wednesday to a federal lawsuit that alleges the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is targeting Latinos to investigate immigration status by using unfounded traffic stops, racially motivated questioning and baseless arrests in a series of crime sweeps.

...

The suit was first filed in December based on a legal immigrant's complaint that he was improperly detained by sheriff's deputies for nine hours.

Arizona Republic

[DesertFlower]

1. i'm sick and tired of sheriff joe.

he says he's just doing his job. i say "bullshit. you're a racist and an egomaniac".

[az chela]

2. Joe thinks he is hitler.I have lived in az for 35 years

and I HATE THIS MAN.I am white ,born in the us and an older women and every time he gets on tv I have to change the channel.
Anyone who supports him is a total red neck who hates everyone but red necks.
Joe bullies everyone.He puts women and guys in tent city that have not committed any crimes except being addicted to drugs or alcohol.
It is 116 degrees in phoenix in the summer and he makes them stay in a hot tent or work outside in the heat.
He is the biggest racist around and he would love to have a reason to lock up anyone who isnt lily white.
He acts like bush ,a total dictator.
I support the people that he keeps harrasing because they are another color.It doesnt matter to him if they are here legally or not.

[DesertFlower]

3. i've been here in arizona almost 19 years.

i'm also a white older woman and i guess i would be considered "upper middle class".

i agree that jail is a place you don't want to be, but joe has gone too far.

he's deliberately going into mexican neighborhoods looking for anything he can find to arrest these people.