Romney Campaign Press Release - Mitt Romney Announces Support of Sheriff Paul Babeu

Mitt Romney today announced the support of Pinal County (Ariz.) Sheriff Paul Babeu. Babeu will serve as a Co-Chair of the Arizona campaign.

"It is an honor to have the support of Sheriff Babeu," said Mitt Romney. "His efforts working to protect our border are critical to lowering crime, reducing illegal immigration, and stopping both drug and human trafficking. Sheriff Babeu has been a leader in the call for the federal government to secure the border. As President, I will work with leaders like Sheriff Babeu to protect our Southern border, provide the required assistance from the federal government, and put an end to the magnets that cause illegal immigration."

Announcing his support, Sheriff Babeu said, "Securing our border is an important part of our national security – Mitt Romney understands this. He also understands that magnets like in-state tuition for illegal immigrants don't stop illegal immigration, they only make it worse. Of all the candidates, Mitt Romney has shown that he is the most committed to securing the border and I look forward to working with him to do this."

Background On Sheriff Babeu:

Sheriff Paul Babeu is the Sheriff of Pinal County in Arizona. Babeu heads a department of 700 and has worked to cut the budget, reorganize leadership, and reduce the response time from his department. Babeu has been a national leader on the need to secure our border and stop illegal immigration and drug and human trafficking. This year, Sheriff Babeu was named Sheriff of the Year by the National Sheriffs' Association. Sheriff Babeu serves as President of the Arizona Sheriffs' Association and recently retired from the Army National Guard. As an Army Major, Babeu commanded nearly 700 soldiers in the Yuma Sector and helped reduced illegal entries by 96%.