"Mr. Jones would have us to believe we are like Arizona and the facts show otherwise."
Jason Riveiro, state director of LULAC
LULAC blames in part Sheriff Jones support of an Arizona style immigration law in Ohio
The leader of an Ohio Hispanic group wants Butler County's Sheriff to tone it down in the wake of the Arizona immigration law rhetoric.
Jason Riveiro, state director for LULAC, The League of United Latin American Citizens, says in the last three weeks there have been at lease five different incidents involving assault on Hispanics.
He blames Sheriff Richard Jones in part for supporting an Arizona type law in Ohio.
"Mr. Jones would have us to believe we are like Arizona and the facts show otherwise. We are not a border state and we have less than one percent, and probably even less than that, of immigrants that are undocumented."
Riveiro held a news conference Thursday calling on the community to come together in the wake of comments by Jones and others. Jones says he's not at fault.
"You know I don't make these things happen. You know it's just a small percent. A large percent come here for a better life, that's good. But you've gotta come here legally. But don't, for the small percent who bring drugs in, commit crimes while you're here..don't commit these crimes while you are here, or you will end up in my jail. That part is true."
The Sheriff says he tried to improve relations with the Hispanic community by meeting with clergy and Latino representatives, but stopped when it appeared they had done all they could do.
Listener Comments Would you like to share your opinion about this news story from 91.7 WVXU? Please enter your comments below.
Contact the WVXU News Department
To submit a possible local news story idea to the WVXU news department, contact Maryanne Zeleznik, WVXU News Director, at 513-352-9172 or newsroom@wvxu.org
Friday, September 03, 2010 
