Maricopa top lawyer: I'm not targeting immigrants
Web Producer: Taylor Higgins
PHOENIX (AP) - Maricopa County's top attorney says an aggressive prosecution tool that can leave illegal immigrants stranded in jail for months before the cases go to trial has been effective in reducing Arizona's fraud issues.
County Attorney Bill Montgomery responded to allegations Friday that his office is bringing excessive charges against immigrants by saying his prosecutions have reduced identity theft complaints. Arizona was first in the nation for identity theft complaints in 2008, but dropped to fourth in 2011.
Under state law, illegal immigrants found with fake identification documents can face felony charges that bar them from posting bail.
Immigration activists says it's unfair to charge immigrants with felonies, while college students found with fake IDs at bars are held to a different standard.
Montgomery says he isn't targeting immigrants.
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