Actually... here lies probably the greatest legal crisis in our nation at this time.

Very few Americans currently realize the swelling crisis around the authority of the local county sheriff. The reality is that the county sheriff is the only ELECTED law enforcement official in our land today.

This means that our sheriffs are answerable to the people... not a judge... or a politician... or a city council... or a mayor... but he answers to the people that elect him... the electorate alone.

Reality is... the elected sheriffs in our nation's counties are the highest law enforcement officers in the land.

Yahoo News report

Thousands protest sheriff's immigration efforts

PHOENIX – Thousands of immigrant rights advocates marched in front of a county jail in Phoenix Saturday in a protest that was aimed at Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration efforts and was marked by a clash between a small group of protesters and police officers.

Organizers say the protest was meant to show officials in Washington that Arpaio shouldn't handle immigration enforcement, and that Congress and the Obama administration need to come up with a way for immigrant workers to come to the country legally....

.... Ten months ago, Arpaio learned he was under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for alleged discrimination and unconstitutional searches. He says the investigation was prompted by his immigration efforts, although federal authorities haven't provided details.

Since early 2008, Arpaio has run 13 immigration and crimes sweeps involving officers who flood a section of a city — in some cases heavily Latino areas — to seek out traffic violators and arrest other violators.

Arpaio's power to make federal immigration arrests was stripped away three months ago by officials in Washington, but he continues his immigration efforts through the enforcement of two state laws.

A federal grand jury also is investigating Arpaio and his office on allegations of abusing his powers.

Now... just why would our federal officials and the federal justice department be trying to shut down this sheriff's efforts to deal with illegal immigrants?

Consider and ponder.

xtnyoda, shalomed