ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION & CRIME

Illegal immigration affects our entire community, and our entire nation. Illegal immigration has been declared the #1 issue facing Arizonans. In 2007, 16 percent of the 77,000 inmates in the Maricopa County jail system were illegal immigrants.² A study conducted in two of the downtown trial bureaus at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office indicated that illegal immigrant defendants accounted for 145 of open cases. A second study in the Fraud and Identity theft Bureau found 37% of the open cases involved illegal immigrant defendants. In addition, the office charged nearly 400 illegal immigrant defendants over the past year with the most serious class 1 and 2 felonies.

"The minute you crossed the border, you violated the law," Sheriff Joe Arpaio was quoted as saying in a June 2008 Arizona Republic article. "There's no doubt that illegals are involved in drug trafficking and other crimes."²

It is estimated that 80%-90% of MS-13 gang members are illegal immigrants. The gang is national and international and has approximately 10,000 - 30,000 members.³ Mexican drug gangs now produce 80% of the methamphetamine consumed in the UnitedStates.⁴

99% of all the meth produced in Mexico is exported to the US.⁵ In March 2008, the State Department reported that drug cartels in Mexico have secured smuggling routes for 90% of the cocaine flowing into the U.S.

70-90% of Latin American illicit drugs enter the US through Mexico.⁶ Robert Caldwell, editor of the San Diego Union Tribune, stated "Mexico's drug cartels are responsible for 90% of all illicit narcotics on America's streets."⁷

Illegal immigrant "home invaders" have also become a large problem in Arizona. These armed gangs will often invade the homes of other illegal immigrants robbing, assaulting and sometimes even rapping victims with the assumption they will not be reported. However, there have also been several cases of these illegal "home invaders" either purposely or mistakenly invading the homes of innocent US citizens.

Illegal immigration is not only linked with drugs and violent criminal activity. The Maricopa County Attorney's office solicited a study which found that illegal immigration costs Arizonans 1.4 billion dollars in lower wages.⁸ Many working immigrants waited years to legally be allowed into the United States. It is unjust that some just cross the border. Illegal immigrant gangsters were found to be typically employed by day in construction, auto repair and other blue collar work. At night they worked in retail drug trafficking, theft, extortion and "mob-style violence."⁹

Working families, citizens and legal immigrants all pay a price. That's why Arizona has the Legal Arizona Workers Act. Businesses that follow the rules are forced to compete with dishonest competitors who rely on an illegal labor force. The vast majority of business are working to comply with the new law. The best way to do that is to sign up for e-verify.

"The transportation of illegal immigrants into the County is becoming an increasingly dangerous trade," says County Attorney Andrew Thomas. "The violence associated with drop houses and kidnapping is just one of the symptoms of the illegal immigration crisis gripping this community.

"By working together, we can stop illegal immigration."

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