PHOENIX -- County Attorney Andrew Thomas said Sunday new numbers bolster his support for efforts to curb illegal immigration.
"The crackdowns on illegal immigration are working. They have been controversial. I have taken a lot of heat for them, so has the sheriff, but they are working," Thomas said Sunday.
Thomas cites a Center For Immigration Studies report that shows the statewide illegal immigrant population has dropped by more than 30 percent since 2007.
He attributes an 8 percent drop in crime this year to that decline.
"The population of illegal immigrants in Maricopa county is shrinking because of law enforcement crackdowns," Thomas said. "This is causing a reduction in the number of illegal immigrants convicted of crimes as that pool continues to shrink."
But not everyone agrees with Thomas's math.
"I think he is 100 percent wrong," Dennis Gilman said.
Opponents like Gilman disagree with the way immigration contol is being executed.
"We've demonized an entire population and an entire group of people and by terrorizing communites, you set up a situation where people are afraid to even call police."
Even with opposition, Thomas said he will continue to support the Sheriff's techniques and work to reduce the illegal immigrant population.
"Sheriff Arpaio and I have drawn pickets and protests from the immigration lobby," Thomas said. "We are willing to put up with these attacks because our efforts are reducing crime and making our communities safer."
