--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the old days when I was enforcing…" description: "\"In the old days when I was enforcing illegal immigration laws, when I had the authority from the 287G, everybody accused me that 100,000 people from fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg" --- # In the old days when I was enforcing illegal immigration… ![“In the old days when I was enforcing illegal immigration laws, when I had the authority from the 287G, everybody accused me that 100,000 people from foreign countries left town. They either went back to where they came from or whatever. So if this little old sheriff can cause, if you want to…” quote by Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg) > “In the old days when I was enforcing illegal immigration laws, when I had the authority from the 287G, everybody accused me that 100,000 people from foreign countries left town. They either went back to where they came from or whatever. So if this little old sheriff can cause, if you want to believe it, many, many people leaving and going back to their country, why can't you do that nationwide?” [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that local enforcement can trigger mass departures, suggesting a national policy could replicate that effect. **In simple terms:** Local enforcement can cause many to leave; he thinks this could work nationwide. Key Takeaway Consider the broader impacts before scaling such policies. Themes immigration policy enforcement politics Mood controversial critical Type political policy When to use this quote - local law enforcement - national policy debates - community impact Key Concepts population movement deterrence human rights Questions to Reflect On - Is mass removal ethical? - What are the long‑term societal effects? A Different Perspective Mass departures may cause humanitarian crises and legal challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-people/) [Accused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accused/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Enforcing Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforcing-illegal-788834/) [Foreign countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-countries/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Illegal immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-immigration/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Immigration law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration-law/) [Immigration laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration-laws/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Old days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-days/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-leaving/) [Sheriff Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheriff-cause-788833/) [Sheriffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheriffs/) [Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towns/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [We should strengthen our immigration laws to prevent the importation of foreign wages and working conditions. We should make it illegal for employers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/we-should-strengthen-our-immigration-laws-to-prevent-the-importation/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [What (the Arizona immigration law) is likely to mean effectively is that if in the course of a traffic stop, a cop asks you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/what-the-arizona-immigration-law-is-likely-to-mean-effectively-is/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [The immigration laws of the United States should not be used to buy and sell political favors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-long/the-immigration-laws-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-used-to-buy/) [Wendy Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-long/) > [People have a pathway to citizenship right now- It's to abide by the immigration laws, and if they have a family relationship, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goodlatte/people-have-a-pathway-to-citizenship-right-now-it-s-to-abide-by-the/) [Bob Goodlatte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goodlatte/) > [Immigration law doesn't exist for the purpose of keeping criminals out. It exists to protect all aspects of American life, the work site, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/immigration-law-doesn-t-exist-for-the-purpose-of-keeping-criminals-2/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Immigration law's already settled. That's why we have people known as illegal immigrants, because the law is very clear. They're not being called illegal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/immigration-law-s-already-settled-that-s-why-we-have-people-known-as/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The fact that you have a policy of such consequence directly affecting millions of people and you have a legal question of great consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-verrilli-jr/the-fact-that-you-have-a-policy-of-such-consequence-directly/) [Donald Verrilli Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-verrilli-jr/) > [It is wrong, and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-is-wrong-and-ultimately-self-defeating-for-a-nation-of-immigrants/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Melania Trump posted on Twitter -I have at all times been in full compliance with the immigration laws of this country. It's the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melania-trump/melania-trump-posted-on-twitter-i-have-at-all-times-been-in-full/) [Melania Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melania-trump/) > [Immigration law doesn't exist for the purpose of keeping criminals out. It exists to protect all aspects of American life. The work site, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/immigration-law-doesn-t-exist-for-the-purpose-of-keeping-criminals/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In other words, under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the FBI, the INS and the Department of Justice are so out of control that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/in-other-words-under-attorney-general-john-ashcroft-the-fbi-the-ins/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [It was right after Woodrow Wilson's first serious post-World War I repression, which deported thousands of people, effectively destroyed unions and independent press, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-was-right-after-woodrow-wilson-s-first-serious-post-world-war-i/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Our immigration law sucks, and we need to redo the whole thing, comprehensive immigration reform. And what that's gonna be is anybody who wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/our-immigration-law-sucks-and-we-need-to-redo-the-whole-thing/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If America is a nation of laws as we proclaim, then our immigration laws are part of the package.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/if-america-is-a-nation-of-laws-as-we-proclaim-then-our-immigration/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) ## More by Joe Arpaio > [I can get along great with the Hispanics. In fact, I sure would like to meet them, even the politicians, maybe in the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-can-get-along-great-with-the-hispanics-in-fact-i-sure-would-like-to/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I roam the streets all the time. You'll be shocked. I'm shocked, everybody that comes up to me, "Oh, thank you, Sheriff. You're supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-roam-the-streets-all-the-time-you-ll-be-shocked-i-m-shocked/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [Some people call me a publicity hound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/some-people-call-me-a-publicity-hound/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [You get so tired of political correctness. I'm noted for speaking out all my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/you-get-so-tired-of-political-correctness-i-m-noted-for-speaking-out/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I don't bow down to the federal government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-don-t-bow-down-to-the-federal-government/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I'm an equal-opportunity law-enforcement guy - I lock everybody up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-m-an-equal-opportunity-law-enforcement-guy-i-lock-everybody-up/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [When you see a white guy at three in the morning on your beat in an alley, you kind of - "What's this guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/when-you-see-a-white-guy-at-three-in-the-morning-on-your-beat-in-an/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [It takes a lot of work to do this every day, every day, but I feel, as a sheriff, I should get to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/it-takes-a-lot-of-work-to-do-this-every-day-every-day-but-i-feel-as-a/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [But hey, controversy - well, it hasn't hurt me in 50 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/but-hey-controversy-well-it-hasn-t-hurt-me-in-50-years/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [If I'm hated, okay. I don't believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/if-i-m-hated-okay-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [Maybe today you could have shot anybody and get away with it. So there's many times, I could have killed people. Legally, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/maybe-today-you-could-have-shot-anybody-and-get-away-with-it-so-there/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I'm elected. I don't report to any politician. I report to the people. If I had to report to any politician, I'd quit tomorrow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-m-elected-i-don-t-report-to-any-politician-i-report-to-the-people/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I used to have trust with reporters. Give them scoops. Those were the old days. It's very strange, when you give a story and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-used-to-have-trust-with-reporters-give-them-scoops-those-were-the/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [ I think \[ immigration\] is still is a problem, whether it's 11 million or 2 million. Why is it - why have the situation… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-think-immigration-is-still-is-a-problem-whether-it-s-11-million-or/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I just talk, and I say what I feel, and yet, I'm a nice guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-just-talk-and-i-say-what-i-feel-and-yet-i-m-a-nice-guy/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) [Explore all 75 Joe Arpaio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) ## More Accused quotes > [We resent being faced with facts we'd prefer to ignore as much as being wrongly accused of doing something we haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-chambers/we-resent-being-faced-with-facts-we-d-prefer-to-ignore-as-much-as/) [Aidan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-chambers/) > [Jesus Himself was criticized. He wasn't a glutton and drunkard, but He was accused of being those things. Why? Because He went to parties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/jesus-himself-was-criticized-he-wasn-t-a-glutton-and-drunkard-but-he/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [You're lying through your fangs," Iggy accused. Fang tried to play innocent--but "innocent Fang" is an oxymoron, so it didn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/you-re-lying-through-your-fangs-iggy-accused-fang-tried-to-play/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I've been accused of humanizing the Nazis, to which I can only say, you can't blame me for that. God did that. Go talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-d-snodgrass/i-ve-been-accused-of-humanizing-the-nazis-to-which-i-can-only-say-you/) [W. D. Snodgrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-d-snodgrass/) > [Something very unique about Germany is that once you are suspected or accused of having worked for the Stassi, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-schwochow/something-very-unique-about-germany-is-that-once-you-are-suspected-or/) [Christian Schwochow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-schwochow/) > [You can make a very good argument that society would be much worse off if you let 10 rapists and murderers free rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/you-can-make-a-very-good-argument-that-society-would-be-much-worse/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [Here, I am looking for a document issued by a public attorney. I don't find. He is accused by the political leaders of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-verges/here-i-am-looking-for-a-document-issued-by-a-public-attorney-i-don-t/) [Jacques Verges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-verges/) > [For although Claudius had been accused of gambling and drunkenness, not only were no worse sins laid to his charge, but he had successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-although-claudius-had-been-accused-of-gambling-and-drunkenness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [When Hillary Clinton was in the Clinton White House as first lady, the left - the right accused her of being wide eyed radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/when-hillary-clinton-was-in-the-clinton-white-house-as-first-lady-the/) [David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/) > [I've been accused of trying too hard to rescue people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/i-ve-been-accused-of-trying-too-hard-to-rescue-people/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I have been accused of never saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-have-been-accused-of-never-saying-no/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) [Browse all 618 Accused quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accused/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the old days when I was enforcing illegal immigration laws, when I had the authority from the 287G, everybody accused me that 100,000 people from foreign countries left town. They either went back to where they came from or whatever. So if this little old sheriff can cause, if you want to believe it, many, many people leaving and going back to their country, why can't you do that nationwide?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Arpaio" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-illegal-immigration-laws-when-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accused" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-illegal-immigration-laws-when-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/joe-arpaio-9065_accused_in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-ill_2473778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the old days when I was enforcing illegal immigration laws, when I had the authority from the 287G…” — Joe Arpaio", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joe Arpaio", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the old days when I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-illegal-immigration-laws-when-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/in-the-old-days-when-i-was-enforcing-illegal-immigration-laws-when-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```