Arpaio gets $25K for illegal immigration fight

People donated more than $25,000 to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office last month following news that the governor had taken away some of the agency's funds to fight illegal immigration.

Tempe church letter protests Arpaio sweeps

Arpaio: Offers pouring in to offset funding loss

The figure, made public late Friday, shows that hundreds of people did what most loathe to do each year during tax time - give money to the government - largely because of the heated political debate over immigration issues.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said donations began pouring into the office after Gov. Janet Napolitano announced she was yanking $1.2 million in state grants to instead create a special squad to chase fugitive felons.

While the donations don't come close to making up the hole left by Napolitano - it comes out to about 2 percent of the total - Arpaio said they show how adamant the public is about the issue.

"I'm not asking for the money. I'm not even campaigning," Arpaio said. "But I can't take the check and rip it up when they give it to me."

"Just think if I campaigned for it," he said, adding the donations were closer to $30,000 now.

Because of the response, Arpaio's office last month set up a special hot line that tells people to send checks to his office marked "for illegal immigration."

The large majority of people who donated in May gave less than $250 to the sheriff's fund, according to county documents. The person who gave the most was Samuel Drewen of Glendale, whose gift was $3,845. Drewen could not be reached Friday for comment.

All of the donations will have to be approved by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday. County agencies typically have to report donations to the board every month, though few ever receive such gifts.

"Isn't it sad that the public has to come forward (with money)?" Arpaio said. "It makes me very disturbed and sad, to be honest."