NEW YORK -- Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- skipping a congressional hearing on U.S.-Mexico border problems -- defended his policies on Stephen Colbert's Comedy Central Show Monday night.

"I'm an equal opportunity law enforcement guy, I lock everybody up," Arpaio told Colbert in response to questions about his controversial policies on enforcing immigration laws.

About two dozen people marched outside Colbert's New York studio, protesting Arpaio's policies.

"Why do I have picketers out front of my studio tonight? I have picketers out there. They were chanting about you. There are a lot of things that rhyme with Arpaio that I wasn't sure of," Colbert asked the sheriff.

Arpaio responded, "We enforce all the laws of this nation, Maricopa County." He said claims of racial profiling against him are " just a cop-out because they don't want me to enforce the illegal immigration laws. That's the bottom line."

The sheriff told Colbert he does not engage in racial profiling. He said 160 of his officers have been trained by federal immigration agents to deal with illegal immigrants and, "When we're doing a crime suppression, if we come across illegals, we have to pursue it."

Arpaio's segment opened on a light note, with Colbert expressing concern about debating someone who carries a gun, and Arpaio showing Colbert his tie tack and saying, "That's the only gun I carry."

The sheriff had been criticized for going to New York while the Senate Homeland Security Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee was in Phoenix to discuss border issues. Arpaio said members of Congress already know his stance on illegal immigration and the border.

• Watch Sheriff Joe on Colbert