Contact Information: Contact: Jill Farrell 202-646-5188
Judicial Watch Statement on Phoenix Mayor's Reversal of Illegal Immigration Policies in Response to Judicial Watch Investigation
| Source: Judicial Watch
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - December 4, 2007) - Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton issued
the following statement today in response to Phoenix, Arizona Mayor Phil
Gordon's plan to reverse on the city's Operations Order 1.4, which
prohibits police officers from inquiring about the immigration status of
individuals and from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
Facing a Judicial Watch investigation and a potential lawsuit, the mayor
announced on Monday, December 3, that he no longer supports the policy.
The mayor also announced the formation of an illegal immigration expert
panel to study the policy and to recommend changes.
"There is no question Judicial Watch's investigation and the threat of a
lawsuit prompted Mayor Gordon's sudden change of heart on illegal
immigration enforcement. The mayor's sanctuary policies have severely
damaged business owners and taxpayers, including the owners of Pruitt's
Furniture, who are leaders in the Phoenix business community. We are
pleased the mayor has finally come to grips with his administration's
failure to adequately address the illegal immigration crisis. And we
support the mayor's public calls for radical change in the way the Phoenix
Police Department enforces federal immigration law.
"With respect to the mayor's 'expert' panel, however, we hope that it takes
advantage of local expertise on the issue, most notably Maricopa County
Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew P. Thomas. Arpaio
and Thomas have valuable immigration enforcement experience in the area
surrounding Phoenix and interact with the Phoenix Police Department on a
daily basis.
"Judicial Watch hopes the expert panel seeks the input of citizen taxpayers
and businesses damaged by the City's sanctuary policies. Judicial Watch
looks forward to working with Mayor Gordon's commission to ensure that any
new policies comply with federal immigration law. However, if the
commission's work results in police immigration policies at odds with
federal law, a Judicial Watch lawsuit would still be on the table."
For the past four months, Judicial Watch has worked with business,
(organized as the 36th and Thomas Business Coalition), community and law
enforcement leaders to bring about a change in Phoenix's status as an
illegal alien "sanctuary city." Judicial Watch's has conducted a
comprehensive investigative and public education campaign concerning the
City of Phoenix's immigration enforcement policies. Our investigative
team, led by Chris Farrell interviewed dozens of people, filed numerous
public records act requests, and analyzed public documents.
For more information on Judicial Watch's investigation, and Judicial
Watch's nationwide legal campaign against illegal information, visit
www.judicialwatch.org.