On March 22, 2008, Daniel Gauzin was in the wrong place, at the wrong time and was on the receiving end of a wrong situation.

Gauzin was riding home with his friend at about 11:30 p.m. after having a late-night meal at a local restaurant. As he and his friend passed through the intersection at Broadway and Priest in Tempe, they were stopped by police who quickly asked the two men for identification.

Daniel Gauzin shows the Mexican ID he showed police after being detained during a traffic stop.

Gauzin, who has dual citizenship with Mexico, (he was born in Torrence, California), showed police his Mexican ID since he travels back and forth between the two countries. However, while checking his identification, the police found that Gauzin had several unpaid fines on his record and took him into custody.

In checking his belongings, the police found Gauzin's Social Security card. According to Gauzin, the police asked him where he got the card because they didn't believe the card belonged to him.

Gauzin's friend was released that night but police set a bail of $200 for Gauzin. Unable to pay, Gauzin was transferred to Madison prison where Gauzin alleges officers in the sheriff's department badgered him about his migration status.

"They threatened me and told me if I admitted that the Social Security card was false they would send me to Mexico and nothing would happen, but if I didn't I would spend 23 years in jail," said Gauzin.

After spending ten days in jail, Gauzin was freed thanks to his aunt and uncle and the intervention of legislator Ben Miranda who was contacted by Gauzin's parents who produced documents proving Gauzin's citizenship.

Finally, after being fined $600 and setting up a payment plan, Gauzin was on his way home but he is angry that police officers did not believe he was an American citizen. He now wants justice.

"If they did it to me, they can do to anybody. What we want is justice and that these situations don't happen again," said Gauzin.

However for Legislator Miranda what happened to Gauzin was a violation of his civil rights.

"He told them he was a citizen and that should have been sufficient. If he showed them identification and they (police officers) couldn't find any grounds to detain him, they should have released him," said Miranda.

(Source for story was Prensa Hispana)

PHOENIX — A call by Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon for a federal probe of the "crime suppression" sweeps targeting Hispanic communities by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been joined by a slate of state Latino legislators.

Seven members of the Arizona Legislative Latino Caucus have accused Sheriff Arpaio of racial profiling during the conduction of his sweeps. The Caucus members sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking that the Justice Department launch an investigation into the Sheriff's actions to see if they 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."

In turn, the Sheriff responded to news of the letter sent by the Latino Caucus by saying that "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 intimidated by minority groups."

MESA — His full name is Manuel Vicente Osorio Rios, but he's better known as Papa Chente. On April 4, Papa Chente made history in Arizona by becoming the first 100-year-old naturalized citizen.

Papa Chente makes history in Arizona by being the first 100-year-old to take the oath of citizenship.
(Source: East Valley Tribune)

Originally from Peru, Papa Chente first came to the United States in 1973. He visited New York but didn't like the cold and so returned to Peru. He came back in 1982 to visit his son who was in the Air Force and stationed in Arizona. The climate was more to his liking plus he had heard that there were a lot of good jobs available that paid hourly.

So, he stayed. He tried to take the citizenship test ten years ago but didn't follow through with it because he couldn't take it in Spanish, but he didn't give up.

Since that time, he studied for the exam until he took it in March.

"I was scared, nervous, and I couldn't even sleep because I heard I was going to be asked 100 questions," Rios said.

He was only asked ten and this time he was allowed to hear the questions in Spanish — he got every question right.

Rios became a citizen just in time. On Saturday, April 5, Rios turned 101.

GUADALUPE — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was on the prowl again for undocumented immigrants. This time on Thursday night (April 3) in the town of Guadalupe, Arizona. Guadalupe bills itself as a Native American and Hispanic community of 5,500 people. The town named after Our Lady of Guadalupe is located between Phoenix and Tempe.

The sheriff says he arrested 25 people, five of them were undocumented immigrants.

Yet, the real story was the showdown between him and Guadalupe Mayor Rebecca Jimenez.

After the news cameras were turned off after filming the Sheriff boast about his catch for the night, the Mayor accused the Sheriff of coming into Guadalupe under "false pretenses." Claiming to be there to "protect your community," Arpaio told the Mayor that if she didn't like it, she had 90 days to cancel her contract with the Sheriff's office.

The Mayor vows to meet with her town's council to discuss other options for law enforcement. The Sheriff vowed to return on Friday saying it was his job to arrest anyone who is breaking the law.