civil rights

The federal government is rapidly expanding its program to make local and state enforcement agencies its eyes, ears and cuffs on illegal immigrants.

The Los Angeles Times reports that 67 local and state law enforcement agencies are going to continue enforcing immigration law but be subject to more oversight.

Arizona Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio  -- under investigation by the Department of Justice for possible civil rights violations -- can't sweep his county for illegal immigrants.

Whether in California, Las Vegas or Arizona, local and state agents across the country have spotted more than 130,000 illegal immigrants.  About 24,000 illegal immigrants identified have been deported this year.

Orange County's jail deputies will learn what it is like to have their every move monitored and weighed for criminality.

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating allegations of deputy abuse and excessive force that span more than a decade, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times' Tami Abdollah.

If the Justice Department's civil rights division determines that deputies violated inmates' rights, the Orange County Sheriff's Department could be put under federal oversight, following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The sheriff's department has been lambasted for obstructing a district attorney's investigation with "a code of silence."

A county jury found that deputy actions which led to the death of inmates -- whether by Tasering a handcuffed inmate or falsely accusing a man of child molestation -- provided ample evidence of widespread abuse at the Theo Lacy Jail.

The police citation of two men who say they were stopped by LDS Church security for sharing a kiss on the cheek, has triggered two "kiss-in" protests at Main Street plaza near the Salt Lake City Temple, according to Lindsay Whitehurst of the Salt Lake Tribune. The alleged original kiss took place on land that was public before its sale to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a decade ago. The church bans speech and actions it disagrees with from taking place in the area between Temple Square and the Church Office Building. About 100 people gathered to make "gentle" displays of public affection during the first protest Sunday.