PHOENIX — In less than 24 hours Title 42 will come to an end and county sheriffs in Arizona are getting ready.
"This is going to be an ongoing problem," Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb said Wednesday.
A press conference was held in Phoenix Wednesday with Sheriff Lamb, Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone, and Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes. Each discussed their concerns about the massive influx of migrants expected to enter through the Arizona-Mexico border over the next few weeks.
"All the sheriffs unanimously agree, we have to secure the border," Sheriff Rhodes said.
"It adversely affects our ability to provide public safety for our community," Sheriff Penzone said.
The discussion focused on how sheriff departments in Arizona are calling on the federal government to take accountability and make changes to immigration laws.
"We're trying to hold the federal government responsible for a job that is theirs," Lamb said.
Lamb said there are reports that migrants will be transported from the border and dropped off all over the state. He is anticipating additional resources will have to be implemented at his department to handle to amount of people.
"We're going to see a lot more search and rescue calls out in the desert," Lamb said. "This is having a tremendous impact on us on our budgets on our resources on our manpower."
Sheriff Penzone agreed. Adding he is considering legal action against the federal government if they are not compensated for those additional resources.
"I plan on talking to attorney general and see if there's a way we can either send a bill or send a lawsuit," Penzone said.
Penzone did mention during the press briefing the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is under two federal court orders preventing deputies from enforcing immigration law or asking someone for their status in the country. However, Penzone made it clear they will still be enforcing state laws.
"The rule of law will apply in Arizona to everybody equally," Penzone said. "Don't cross the line, you wont have to worry about crossing us."
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