Arpaio and the pink underwear

U.S. Reps. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, Jerrold Nadler of New York, Zoe Lofgren of California and Robert Scott of Virginia have requested an (long needed) investigation of Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio.  They sent letters which included a request for DHS Director Janet Napolitano to investigate Arpaio for racial profiling.  

New York Times:

"The letters came more than a week after Sheriff Arpaio, who has attracted widespread publicity for requiring inmates to wear pink underwear and by starring in a new reality television show, provoked an outcry when he marched 200 illegal immigrant inmates in the streets from one jail to another “tent city” facility."

see dreamacttexas post "The Chain Gang of the 21st Century," February 6, 2009

see "4 in Congress request probe of Arpaio's policies," azfamily.com, AP, February 13, 2009

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Lawmakers Want Look at Sheriff in Arizona
New York Times
By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD
Published: February 13, 2009

Members of Congress asked the Justice and Homeland Security Departments on Friday to investigate accusations that the sheriff who presides over the Phoenix metropolitan area has engaged in a pattern of racial profiling and other abuses against Latino residents.

The members of Congress also asked the Homeland Security Department, now headed by Janet Napolitano, the former Arizona governor, to reassess its agreement with the sheriff that allows deputies trained by the department to check the immigration status of detainees.

Four members of the House Judiciary Committee, including the chairman, John Conyers Jr., Democrat of Michigan, raised of concerns about the sheriff, Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County...

Sean Smith, a spokesman for Ms. Napolitano, who has been friendly with the sheriff but as governor had also expressed concerns about some of his tactics, said she had already ordered a review of the program, known as 287(g), which allows immigration officials to train and work with dozens of local law enforcement agencies.

“Because of the questions about how 287(g) agreements are administered, and if uniform standards are being applied, Secretary Napolitano has asked for a review of the entire program,” Mr. Smith said in a statement. He would not to respond to the lawmakers’ other concerns.

The review, ordered Jan. 30, is due Feb. 20. In addition, the Government Accountability Office is investigating the program and plans to release a report in early March, a spokesman said...more

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