Showing a unified front, Latino state lawmakers said Thursday they are backing Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's call for a federal probe into Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's recent crime sweeps in Hispanic neighborhoods.

Lawmakers said the sheriff's tactics are tantamount to racial profiling and reflect poorly on all Arizonans, regardless of their ethnic heritage.

“When one group is under attack like this, when one group is having their civil rights violated, I believe it imperils all of us, everyone across this state and across this country,” said Rep. Linda Lopez, D-Tucson, who joined six other members of the Arizona Legislative Latino Caucus at a Capitol news conference. OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1')

“That is not what this country is about. We're not about targeting individuals because of the color of their skin, their religion or their gender,” she added. “This has to be put a stop to, and I believe an investigation is fully warranted.”

Arpaio was quick to fire back, vowing he will not be intimidated by threats from Gordon or state legislators.

“I am not concerned about (the caucus) going to Washington. I have nothing to fear and will continue to do crime suppression. I will continue to lock up illegals,” said Arpaio, who denied that he targets Hispanic communities. “I will not be intimated by minority groups.”

The Latino Caucus said it planned to send a letter Thursday to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey requesting that the Justice Department launch an investigation into whether Arpaio's “saturation patrols” constitute a violation of civil rights.

“Simply put, (Arpaio) is using the guise of ‘crime suppression' for the sole purpose of rooting out and deporting Hispanics who are in this country illegally,” the letter states. “He is not, however, considering the collateral damage that is occurring. Specifically, that the civil rights of Hispanic citizens are being infringed upon by being unfairly subjected to racial profiling.”

Caucus members said without federal intervention, Arpaio will continue to target Hispanic communities throughout the county, creating a hostile atmosphere that could escalate into violence.

In recent weeks, Arpaio has conducted crime sweeps in Guadalupe and parts of Phoenix. He said his officers arrested 30 illegal immigrants earlier this week after sweeps in Wickenburg.

The sheriff indicated he will target Mesa next and plans to bring his patrols back to Phoenix despite objections from Mayor Gordon. In an April 4 letter, Gordon requested the Justice Department's civil-rights division and the FBI to investigate a “pattern and practice of conduct that includes discriminatory harassment, improper stops, searches and arrests.”

Rep. Ben Miranda, a Phoenix Democrat and co-chair of the 14-member Latino Caucus, said Arpaio's sweeps have produced “plenty of examples” of racial profiling of innocent citizens.

The caucus successfully fought for the release of a U.S.-born citizen who was taken into custody on March 22 after one of Arpaio's sweeps, Miranda said. Though he declined to identify the individual or provide further details, Miranda said the Hispanic man was incarcerated for 10 days despite producing a copy of his birth certificate.

“These are the things that are going on in this community that need to be brought to the surface,” Miranda said.

The Sheriff's Office disputed Miranda's depiction of the incident, saying the man was “belligerent” and refused to show identification upon being stopped for a traffic violation. Only after he was arrested and turned over to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was it discovered he was a citizen, said Brian Sands, the sheriff's chief of enforcement.

“He was so uncooperative through all stages of the booking process, he was trying to get into a position where we might deport him,” Sands said.

Miranda's brother, Sen. Richard Miranda, a Tolleson Democrat and the caucus' other co-chair, questioned during the news conference why Arpaio has not consulted with local police agencies when carrying out such sweeps.

“Without that type of local advice or information,” the senator said, “these saturation raids are nothing more than a way for Sheriff Arpaio to gain media attention and obviously his re-election.”

Arpaio dismissed the comments as petty politics and sought to turn the tables on his critics. He said Gordon has joined the immigration debate to drum up publicity for a future gubernatorial bid and that Latino Caucus members need the attention to retain their seats this fall.

“I sure don't need this to get elected. I've been elected on tents and pink underwear,” said the sheriff, referring to two of his widely publicized initiatives. “They may need this to get themselves elected.”

Reach the reporter at scott.wong@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8604.