Arizona's new immigration law has a big impact on police there, who'll be enforcing the rules. Some lawmen, like Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, are happy about the changes, though others say it's an unfunded mandate that will destroy their jail budgets. They're also worried about training -- they've got 90 days to teach all of their officers how to enforce the federal laws. One Tucson cop, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is suing to stop the law, CNN reports.
Time magazine's report is illustrative of the divide. The group that represents Arizona's police chiefs is against the new law. But the group representing the rank-and-file officers is strongly supportive of enforcing immigration laws.
"What we've seen is inaction, a lot of discussion," he said. "We have officers getting killed, getting severely injured by illegal aliens." He told the story of Officer Marc Atkinson, a young Phoenix cop whom Livingston had personally recruited to the force. Atkinson was slain by an illegal alien, said Livingston, during a drug bust.
(Sorry, I know you're all probably sick of Arizona stories, but I can't help myself.)
Hat Tip: Many thanks, Tȟatȟaŋka Iyotȟaŋka
