MCSO stop leads to feds taking custody of suspects

PHOENIX - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have responded to Maricopa County Sheriff deputies' request to take custody of two suspected illegal immigrants in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Monday evening's encounter was the first between his deputies and federal officers since the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold part of Arizona's controversial immigration law.

“I am very happy that ICE is continuing to cooperate with our efforts in detecting illegal immigration activity, especially following last week’s controversial ruling on SB1070 by the Supreme Court," said Arpaio.

The Supreme Court upheld the provision in the law that allows police to try to determine the immigration status of people they stop or arrest if they have a reasonable suspicion that they're in the country illegally.

Arpaio said two suspected illegal immigrants were arrested by the sheriff's Human Smuggling Unit during a traffic stop north of Phoenix in which deputies developed probable cause in determining that they were in the country illegally.

One of the two suspects turned over to ICE was a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor.

The Sheriff's office said they have seen several cases recently where children have been smuggled into the country illegally.

Deputies also arrested and booked nine other suspects into the county jail for violating state human smuggling laws.