Sheriff Joe Arpaio: I Know It's 140 Degrees Out, Why Do People Care If Convicts Are In A Tent?
NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: ...and my next guest is making sure there's a place for violators to park it. I just don't think they're going to like it. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio joining me right now. Gettin' ready for the big one, hunh?
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, AZ: Yeah, Neil, if that law goes into effect July 29th.
CAVUTO: You have your doubts?
ARPAIO: Yeah, are cops going to book them into the jail? I put those tents up in 1993, 17th year anniversary this week. Been a great success story and I now have plenty of room for those that are arrested for violating illegal immigration laws.
CAVUTO: You know, Sheriff, I'm wondering if a lot of them are so lawsuit scared now that they don't do what the law tells them to do.
ARPAIO: That's a good point. I'll tell you one thing, when my deputies arrest someone, they're going directly to jail. As I said, we have a vacancy sign that shines 24 hours a day. I know it's about 140 degrees in the tents yesterday but let me say this, our men and women, Neil, you know, are fighting for our country in Afghanistan and Iraq so why should people be concerned about convicted people living in the tent city?
CAVUTO: I'm just curious, why this judge is prolonging this decision on whether this thing can happen, this law can go down. What are you hearing?
ARPAIO: Well, I'll tell you it's a lot of facets to this law. She just got the case, all the lawsuits I believe this week and it depends how she rules. I may have empty tents if she rules against this law. But we'll still arrest illegal immigrants, at least my office will. I have another crime suppression operation coming up on the 29th. New law or no law, I'm going to still do what we've been doing on enforcing other state illegal immigration laws.
CAVUTO: So you're willing to risk quite a bit here, Sheriff, if this judge slaps this law down. Everything you're doing then would be deemed illegal.
ARPAIO: Oh no, that's just that law. We've been arresting people for three years...
CAVUTO: You don't think an enterprising trial attorney will want to extend what you do to what this judge might slap down?
ARPAIO: I don't know. We've been doing it. The justice department has been investigating me since 60 days into the Obama Administration for alleged racial profiling. Nothing has come up in a year and a half. We're doing the right thing. We're the only ones enforcing the other two immigration laws. So we're going to continue to do that regardless of what this law -- if it's in effect or not come next Thursday.
CAVUTO: We'll be watching closely, Sheriff. Good seeing you again.
ARPAIO: Okay, thank you.
CAVUTO: Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
