Enforcing SB 1070: County Enforcement

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Posted 7:22 PM 6/25/2012 : Southern AZ Sheriffs weigh in on SB 1070

SOUTHERN ARIZONA - The Supreme Court's decision on SB 1070 did take a lot out but it did one portion in. Its enough to have a lot of people talking and that includes local law enforcement.

The Sheriffs here in Southern Arizona have some very different opinions on the ruling, some like it, some don't, and at least one said it won't make any difference at all.

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever said, "I consider it a win but not a victory. The most important part they upheld."

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada has a very different take on it. He said, "It's bad. I wish it had all gone away."

For Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik it's a different feeling towards the ruling: relief. Dupnik said, "I think everybody is happy that they didn't support Arizona's SB 1070 because it would have been a nightmare for us and for the taxpayers and they don't even realize it."

But what about enforcement?

Nearly all the Sheriffs said it won't be that big of a change, if at all. Dupnik said, "From our point of view that hasn't changed anything. This has always been our practice."

Estrada said at his department that's not the case. He said now it will allow his deputies to start asking people questions, something they normally don't do. Estrada doesn't like it but he said, "We will respect the law. My people will be authorized to follow law and use a lot of common sense. Prioritize too because there may be other issues in community a lot more important than illegal immigration."

But Dever said that doesn't mean the law won't do anything. He said, "One of the purposes of it was to deliver a very strong message to people coming into Arizona illegally az illegally that this is not place you want to come and so we anticipate reduced traffic across the border.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said, "I agree with Justice Scalia when he stated, ‘Arizona bears the brunt of the country's illegal immigration problem. Federal officials have been unable to remedy the problem, and indeed have recently shown that they are unwilling to do so."