Maricopa County Sheriff says he is not helping President Trump with mass deportations

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said he is not helping the Trump administration with any mass deportation efforts.

“I have not had any conversations with the Trump administration,” Sheridan told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos on Wednesday. “My hands are tied. I’m pretty handcuffed because I’m under federal court order not to be involved in anything illegal immigration unless there’s a state crime involved.”

Sheridan’s comments come after Republican Arizona lawmakers have introduced legislation that would mandate county sheriff’s deputies and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) to enter into a 287 (G) agreement to support federal enforcement of immigration law. The 287 (G) agreement would allow state law enforcement to apply federal immigration law.

The Arizona ICE Act would train 10% of law enforcement agencies under a 287 (G) agreement on how to enforce federal immigration policy in accordance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Pinal and Yavapai counties already have 287 (G) agreements with the federal government.

The measure would mandate jails and prisons to hold detainees for up to 48 hours upon release to give ICE a chance to apprehend undocumented migrants to be deported.

What did the Maricopa County Sheriff say about the current illegal immigration process?

Sheridan outlined the process of what currently happens at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office when dealing with illegal immigration.

“What we do at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, and we’ve done this probably 12-13 years, is there’s two ICE agents that sit in our intake area,” Sheridan said.

“And what that means is when a police officer, deputy sheriff or highway patrol comes in and arrests somebody, they bring them to the county jail, they all go to intake — about 250 people a day — and ICE agents sit there and interview every one of those 250 people and sometimes they put detainers on these individuals. When they get done with their state charges, then they are released to ICE.”

The Republican sheriff also said he has not seen any large-scale ICE roundups in Maricopa County since he assumed his position. Sheridan defeated Democrat Tyler Kamp in last November’s election.

“I have seen some but nothing large-scale,” Sheridan said.

A total of 565 people were charged with illegal immigration activity by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona from Jan. 21-Feb. 3.

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