The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office does not conduct "raids," according to Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Although we've provided evidence to the contrary of Arpaio's new claim, the Sheriff's public-relations staff sent out an e-mail this afternoon, with a press release touting MCSO's 70th "employer sanctions operation." The subject line on that e-mail: "Maricopa County Sheriff's Office ID Theft Raid at Lam's Supermarket."
See also:
-Joe Arpaio Denies Justice Department Allegations, but Offers Up Some Strange Claims
Earlier this week, we told you that lawyers for Sheriff Joe Arpaio filed a response to the Justice Department's racial-discrimination lawsuit, and among the denials of the accusations, Arpaio denied the existence of MCSO "raids" -- several times.
The press release itself doesn't contain the word "raid," but we found three that did in about 30 seconds earlier this week, and it came through on today's subject line, although, according to Arpaio, a "raid" is certainly nothing the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office would engage in.
For added effect, the press release notes that the Criminal Employment Squad (the "CES" mentioned in the denials above) was the unit that raided -- or totally didn't raid -- Lam's Asian and International Supermarket in Maryvale today.
Of the 27 employees that the store hires in total, 21 of them are suspected of using fake IDs to work there, according to the press release. They were ratted out by a former employee.
Now, after 70 "employer sanctions operations"/"criminal employment operations"/"raids," or whatever else you want to call it, 684 people have been arrested.
No employer has ever been arrested or tied to any violations as a result of these operations, Arpaio admitted in the above-mentioned response to the Justice Department lawsuit.
