Controversial Arizona Sheriff Arpaio Wraps Illegal Alien Crackdown

Published January 14, 2015

An anti-immigration sheriff in Arizona announced Tuesday his office has arrested 32 people during a two-day "crime suppression" crackdown, the Arizona Republic reported.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio kicked off the operation Monday. Eighteen people were arrested in one incident on allegations they violated the state's human smuggling law, which allows recent illegal immigrants to be charged as co-conspirators in their own smuggling.

Around 200 deputies and posse members participated in the crackdown, according to the paper.

The federal government recently removed some of Arpaio's enforcement authority connected to illegal immigration laws. Arpaio said he used state laws for the operations.