Sheriff Joe Arpaio at RNC: Elect Donald Trump to ‘protect our border!’
CLEVELAND — Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., praised GOP nominee Donald Trump and warned of threats posed by undocumented immigrants in a speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night.
During more than two decades in office, Arpaio has made a national name for himself by creating unusual punishments for criminals, including making them wear pink underwear and confining them to tent city jails. Arpaio has also weighed in on political issues with strong criticism of U.S. immigration policy and by conducting an investigation into the conspiracy theories about President Obama’s birthplace.
At the RNC, Arpaio began his address by declaring “the stakes are high” and expressing the need for “a strong leader.”
“We are losing the battle. We are the only country in the world whose immigration system puts the need of other nations ahead of ours. We are more concerned with the rights of illegal aliens and criminals than we are with protecting our own country,” the sheriff said. “That must change. We need a leader who will protect our border and enforce our laws, because a nation without borders and a nation without laws is no nation at all.”
Arpaio suggested the cornerstone of Trump’s immigration platform, a massive wall the developer promises to build along the U.S. border with Mexico, would help guard against “the dangers of illegal immigration and drugs.”
“We have terrorists coming over our border, infiltrating our communities, and causing massive destruction and mayhem. We have criminals penetrating our weak border security system and committing serious crime,” Arpaio said, adding, “Donald Trump will build the wall … and restore law and order, and keep drugs and illegal immigrants from entering into our country.”
Arpaio finished by branding Trump “a leader who will stand up for America.”
“Let’s elect Donald Trump!” Arpaio declared.
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