A legal fight between the Pinal County Board of Supervisors and their local top prosecutor over the latter's work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement is moving to Maricopa County.
The board wanted the courtroom battle moved to Pima County, which is generally liberal and less likely to want local authorities working with ICE.
But the county attorney wanted the showdown moved to Maricopa County, which is broadly conservative and more likely to value a 287(g) partnership.
Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller is represented by Phoenix attorney Andrew Gould.
“It really isn’t the political leanings, it's the convenience of the forum on why we believe it's a victory,” Gould said.
Miller issued a statement saying his office will resume its work with ICE on violent crime task forces.
His office was blocked from taking part in the program known as 287(g), but now the order has expired.
Gould convinced a judge to move the case to Maricopa County because it’s next to Pinal County.
“I know Pima County is too. But Maricopa County is adjacent. The law firms that are involved in this case are all up in Phoenix,” Gould said.
