To: Jim McMannis who wrote (2191 ) 8/10/2007 6:15:39 PM From: Tadsamillionaire Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 3197 Complaint lines set up in response to sheriff's tip line for illegal immigrant reporting. The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, other Hispanic groups and some elected officials plan to launch hotlines in response to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's pursuit of illegal immigrants. Arpaio recently established a telephone tip line, encouraging callers to report possible illegal immigrants and human smugglers in the Phoenix region. Critics worry the hotline encourages ethnic profiling and discrimination against Hispanic workers and businesses Arizona Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, said he wants to make sure Arpaio's office is not discriminating against Hispanics. He said complaints to that effect will be turned over to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix and might result in civil lawsuits. Gallardo said volunteers will man the complaint lines, which will become active Aug. 13. Other groups and individuals involved include the Hispanic Chamber, Valley Interfaith Project, Arizona Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Arizona Rep. Ben Miranda and Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox. The controversial sheriff has been aggressive in pursuing illegal immigrants and smugglers. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office set up a special unit to pursue migrant smugglers and arrested eight illegals during a traffic stop in the East Valley this week. "My office will continue to gather intelligence information from the hotline, which reveals locations, trends and the operations of alien smugglers and other violators of the immigration laws," said Arpaio in a statement regarding those arrests. Arpaio's hotline is 602-876-4154. The complaint numbers are 602-246-0653, 602-462-5050, 888-252-7555 and 602-254-5230. bizjournals.com