Activists Decry Sheriff's "Crime Suppression Effort"

Hispanic leaders are speaking out about the sheriff's posse which goes on patrol today for what Sheriff Joe Arpaio calls "a crime suppression effort."

Immigrant rights activists are angry over what they call the sheriff's abuse of power.

The posse will saturate a day labor center near 25th Street and Bell Road and 36th Street and Thomas where immigrant rights activists held many protests last fall. The areas are known to have a high concentration of illegal immigrants.

"We all recognize the immigration laws of this country are broken and nobody more than us wants to see those laws changed so that tiny tyrants like Joe Arpaio can't abuse that law," says Gutierrez.

"While criminal rapists and murders are walking the streets of Maricopa County today because the sheriff has assigned over 300 officers to one task - to search down the person who is washing the dishes at the restaurant you're going to have lunch at."

Phoenix attorney Antonio Bustamante is one of several who is speaking out. "When have you heard of him doing the kind of crime fighting that has to be done in this community. He's not picking on people his own size - criminals. He's fighting against defenseless voiceless undocumented immigrants to pump his chest and get publicity."

Bustamante calls Arpaio's crackdown on illegal immigrants a gross infringement on civil liberties.

Arpaio says business owners have asked for help after a rash of petty crimes they believe have been committed by illegal immigrants.