Before we begin, I will state my stance on Illegal Immigration.
I am 100% against any Illegal being in this country. No matter where they came from.

I support the Law, Rule of Law, Law Enforcement and DHS. Although I think DHS is slacking.

I advocate deporting all Illegals when apprehended.
I advocate prosecution of any one who would;
transport, aide, abet, provide housing to, provide false IDs for, or hire the Illegal.
Now the story.

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Thousands of people protesting a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants by an Arizona sheriff marched through Phoenix on Saturday, toting placards reading "We Are Human" and "Stop the Raids."

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has dispatched deputies into Hispanic communities in the Phoenix area where they stop people and arrest anyone who cannot prove he or she is a legal U.S. resident.

Under a deal allowing them to enforce federal immigration laws, the deputies have arrested more than 1,500 people whom they determined were in Arizona illegally.

Latino activists and lawmakers call his program a clear case of racial profiling because only people who look Hispanic are targeted. Arpaio steadfastly denies the charge.

Earlier this month, he stirred more controversy when he marched 220 illegal immigrants in shackles and striped prison garb through Phoenix under armed guard.

"Walking people through the streets in chains, public shaming, it's medieval," said Veronica Perez, 32, an archeologist carrying signs reading "No Human Is Illegal" and "Stop the Raids."

"Isn't cruel and unusual punishment against the U.S. Constitution?" she asked.

The event was organized by activists from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and a group called El Puente Arizona. Estimates of the number of participants ranged from 1,000 to 3,000.

Preparing for the march at a park in central Phoenix, school district coordinator Sylvia Airington, 47, slammed Arpaio's policies.

"Racial profiling, targeting the Hispanic community -- it's an embarrassment to America," she said.

What to do about an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States is an explosive political issue. But it has largely dropped out of the debate as concerns turn to the economic crisis.

A bid to push comprehensive immigration reform through Congress was rejected by Republican lawmakers two years ago. President Barack Obama, who supported the measure, has yet to address the matter.

"I voted for Obama for change," said welder Oscar Camacho, 45. "But with respect to immigration, I see no change at all."

Around 100 counter-demonstrators waving American flags turned out to support Arpaio on Saturday. Some carried holstered pistols.

"He is the only one to uphold illegal immigration laws," said Dina Rose, 52, standing on sidewalk by the sheriff's office in downtown Phoenix. "The county sheriff is America's last hope of protecting our freedoms.

"Thousands of people protesting a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants by an Arizona sheriff marched through Phoenix on Saturday, toting placards reading "We Are Human" and "Stop the Raids.""

Wow, I didn't see that one coming. I'm really surprised.

Racial profiling, LOL, well dah! Not to many "white" "black" or non Mexican looking people from Mexico! I don't know, I see it all the time, I drive into a neighbourhood filled with Hispanic looking people and not a one of them speaks a lick of english, hmmmmm, are they illegal...hell ya they are! I say kick em to the Kirb! My family came here two generation ago, we did it the leagle way, we pay our taxes, pay our own bills, read and write english, don't ask for handouts, and do our part in society. I hate to profile but as a truck driver I can honestly say that EVERY Mexican based neighbourhood I've delivered into looks like a slum, trash covered streets, low or no income family housing. Its a shame! Its a shame we neglect them and its a shame they neglect themselves and choose to bring dishonour to themselves and their heritage. This is a sore subject with me so I should just let it go, sorry, LOL

they shackle and march people that are in jail out into the public in avon park, florida all the time.

Yep, I see this all over the country. Its called putting the bastards to work, so they can work off some of that free room and board they get in prison. Another subject that makes me sick! But that's another story.

the point is sheriff joe is violateing the civil rights of people who are here legaly . living in arizona i see all the time the atrocities of sheriff joe , the man crosses the line all the time and something needs to be done about him .

Interesting. That does not sound very good.

What do you plan to do about him?
Also, prove he's violated civil rights.
Just because you say it, don't make it so.
Got pics, court evidence, what?

I'm gonna go play some poker.

funny thing is that he is an elected official

somebody must like him

alot of people like him and alot of people dont . and if you look at his record he has been brought up for civil rights violations many times . he has beat them everytime . he is popular with people because he saves maricopa county money by giving the the inmates a brown bag lunch for them two meals a day , by making them live in tents in the desert in the middle of the summer . i understand these people have done somthing wrong to be there but they do deserve to be treated like human beings.

Again, show documentation of civil rights violation convictions, pictures. You bring nothing to the table but words.

we need more positivity in these posts. i want to start by saying thank you to all of you for your opinions on all of these topics.

i can show you pictures of the conditions of the inmates in there tents . i can show you court papers where he has been sued for civil rights violations as recently as 2008 and there are still new ones being filed by the people who he is stopping because they look hispanic . look it up smart guy , it's public record . the fact he has never lost does not mean the alligations are not true .

If this sheriff is abusing mexican people that are citizens he belongs in the same jail.

There are days when i wish we had no borders, period, so we could stop all this insanity. But we have laws here and we all have to abide by them.

as a matter of fact look it up he was sued by the mayor of mesa for going into a public building after hours and running city employees to find out if any were illegal . but he is realy loved

i agree but i have seen first hand i went through an immigration checkpoint in guadalupe , az and my friend in the care who is mexican american was checked i was not . that is profileing and i can understand why these people areupset . setting up check points in an area because it has a high number of hispanics is wrong .

I'm all for something positive. And thank you t2d, for sparking some hot topics.. grin! I'm off to sleep, night kids...

not many Anglos sneaking into America

I agree, and hope that one day it all stops and we can see eachother as human beings, not someone to blame for hard times, and in hard times. The bankers and the politicians get off scott free, but the poor and the illegals get trashed as if it's all their fault for the state of the country.

so it is ok to check a person who was born and raised here his whole life to see his id and run his name because of the color of his skin ? i thought this country had gone beyond this .