[Guillermo Perez-Aguilar, one of the detained men, stops Arpaio to ask him a question]
(Aguilar) Mr. Arpaio!
(Arpaio) Yeah? Eh?
(Aguilar) What does it cost you to give us the opportunity to those who really wanna be here the right way...
(Arpaio) Where's my interpreter? My Spanish is bad.
(Perez-Aguilar) Umm, I tell Mr. Arpaio that how much does it cost him...
(Translator) Look at him.
(Perez-Aguilar) Mr. Arpaio, what does it cost you give us the opportunity
to those who are here who really want to do something for the state, for the country, and for our families
(Translator) How you can help them, give them an opportunity to do something?
They want to be here in the right way doing something and giving opportunity to their families
How you can help?
(Sheriff Joe Arpaio) Big question, tough answer.
(Translator) A big question and a really difficult answer.
(Arpaio) You have to understand in the United States we have laws
just like in Mexico
(Translator) You have to understand that here in the United States there are laws like there are in Mexico.
When people in Guatemala come across the frontier there's a border here to Mexico
Boy, tough law there!
(Translator) When the immigrants from Guatemala go illegally to Mexico, the Mexican law is extremely tough.
(Arpaio) You should not come into the United States
illegal. Try to get some kind of work permit, visa...
Do it right, correct.
You violate the law when you come.
(Translator) If you (plural) want to come, why not apply for a visa? Do through a correct form.
Not violating the law.
(Arpaio) That's difficult for me. This is too big for me to answer.
It's something that Washington, the politicians, Congress, the 'Presidente'
has to do something.
(Translator) Its difficult for him give the answer when the members of congress, the politicians, the president himself
aren't giving an answer.
(Arpaio) I'm a cop - policia.
(Translator) He is a cop.
(Arpaio) I just enforce the law,
and put people in jail that violate the law.
(Perez-Aguilar) Exactly, so then you are a sheriff, so then your responsibility is at a certain level
the federal is up here, and you're judging us at an even higher level
you, yourself, is taking away our opportunity
because the federal is here, and you're here.
He's saying federal is higher -
(Translator) Yeah he said higher, they are higher than you and when they get to you, you stop the opportunity---
[interrupting] (Arpaio) No, nobody is higher than me.
I am the elected sheriff by the people. I don't serve any governor or president.
(Translator) He doesn't serve any government or president. He is elected by the people.
(Arpaio) I'm elected. I serve the people.
(Translator) He serves the people.
(Arpaio) In the federal system they're all, uh, - they're bureaucrats - they all
(Translator) The federal system is bureaucratic.
(Arpaio) and I worked with the 'federales' in Mexico in the army
(Translator) He has worked with the Mexican federal government.
talking to the - I worked with everybody there
In Mexico, in South America, Central America
I was the 'jefe de drogas y peligroso'
many years ago
So I understand the Mexican people, I understand the 'federales,'
I understand the government, I understand the state police, I understand the local police,
- I understand it all.
(Translator) He understands all the rankings, cops, politicians, locals. He's worked in South America, along side the police in Mexico.
(Arpaio) So you go back home and try to come back, the right way
Don't come back across the border again because
next time, I don't know, with the new President's policy
whether they're going to do anything to you
but I'm going to do it, I'm going to catch you again
and you're going to go to jail.
what happens to you in Immigration, I don't know.
Maybe they'll let you go again, and again, and again.
We arrested two months ago one guy
14 times he came across, 14 times!
(Translator) He arrested two months ago a person who came 14 times, illegally he crossed 14 times.
(Arpaio) He must like the free airplane trip back to Mexico.
(Translator) He probably likes going on the airplane for free and returning to Mexico.
(Perez-Aguilar) When one has goals, they fight.
It doesn't matter how may times someone falls,
they get back up. For that reason I'm here.
(Translator) He has goals and when he fails, he wants to get up and try again
(Arpaio) Yes, but don't do it illegal try again!
Go back home and try to get some way to come across
legal! you understand?
(Perez-Aguilar) Yes, sir.
(Arpaio) Comprendes? Legal!
Don't go across that border illegal!
It's very dangerous - muy peligroso -
and many of these people when they cross
they carry the 'marijuana'
(Translator) Its dangerous, and in addition you know what people who are crossing
come with drugs, with marijuana.
(Perez-Aguilar) That is to say, he judges all of us because of one..?
Arpaio) hey. hey. [Arpaio shakes the prisoner's hand]
Translator: but he said, everyone is the same
for one bad, you are judging all the others
that's what he said
(Arpaio) No, I only judge those who violate the law.
I don't care if they're from Canada, Italy, I don't care where they're from
It just so happened, because we're so close to the border,
we get more people from Mexico
(Translator) He would do it with whoever else that violates the law.
But the fact is that Mexico is so close and its the Mexicans who are crossing the border, illegally.
(Perez-Aguilar) So then, he's not looking for who owes it but who pays for it? That's what he's saying.
(Translator) He said that you're looking for who isn't in trouble and make the rest of them pay for that.
(Arpaio) No, I look for everybody that violates the law.
(Translate) He just looks for everyone that violates the law.
(Arpaio) [mutters and gestures towards Perez-Aguilar] not just Mexico...
That's not true. Don't believe everything you hear
you read or these people that always tell the wrong story
(Translator) Don't believe everything that they tell you, don't read, and the people that tell you the story.
(Arpaio) I am a nice guy.
(Perez-Aguilar) What I say is because I know firsthand, not because they are telling me.
(Translator) He talks about his own experience.
(Perez-Aguilar) Just like he says that he is attacking
why not attack, like he (?) said the disease from the root?
Why does he look for the weak?
For example, here I have 16 years in Arizona and I've never had problems.
That is, I've owned cars, so if they're laws that is, why you give us the opportunity
but at the same time snatch it away from us? Yes, we're gonna
get insurance plans, vehicle titles.
With one I.D. from the consular, from the elector-- it doesn't matter.
Why not start from the root? Why start from the branches?
That is, you come killing thousands when in reality,
you can start from here.
Because its harder? Or because you like attacking more over here?
(Translator) H-h-h-he wants you to attack the root of the problem, not the branches
He considers they are the branches, why not the root?
They get legal permits to drive and everything...
(Arpaio) Well, he's smart, in a way. [points at prisoner]
This is a big problem. In Mexico, to solve the problem
you have to get more of the economy.
Build up the economy.
So he [gestures] would be happy working in Mexico
and not come here to work!
If he could find a nice job in Mexico, maybe he would stay there
so this economic problem -
(Translator) Its also an economic problem, if Mexico had more job opportunities
you'd probably he happier working in your country.
And not come here, to work illegally and dangerously.
Its all a problem.
(Arpaio) [nods] Right? Did I - Does he believe that?
(Translator) You are thinking correctly, you're intelligent in thinking of the problem from the root.
(Arpaio) If you get good job, well, why come here?
(Perez-Aguilar) Because I have dreams, I have goals, and one of them that
I proposed to myself was to come here to be something,
to help my family.
(Translator) Okay.
(Arpaio) Okay, muchas gracias (thank you very much). See ya. [mutters] I hope I don't see you again.
[laughter from translator, Arpaio, and others]
(Translator) Really, he hopes to never see you again...
(Arpaio) Well that's chapter two...