Domestic terrorismDeath threats prompt increased security for Phoenix mayor

Published 28 May 2010

Mayor Phil Gordon has been an outspoken critic of the recent Arizona anti-illegal immigration law which allow law enforcement personnel to approach individuals and ask them to prove their legal status in the united States; the mayor has received more than 5,000 threats — many of them death threats, some graphic in detail — from supporters of the law, and the police has now placed him under 24-hour protection

Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon now has an around-the-clock security detail in the wake of several death threats. Gordon has been outspoken in his opposition to Arizona’s new anti-illegal-immigration law, Senate Bill 1070. His position on the issue is drawing some unwanted attention. AZFamiliy.com’s Catherine Holland reports that he has received some 5,000 threats — several of them very specific in their descriptions of physical harm and even death.

According to the police, one threat claimed Gordon would be killed by sniper fire.

 

I’m just asking everybody to pause a moment,” Gordon said Tuesday morning. “Let’s realize that what we all do want is border security and immigration reform so that we have legal migration and we don’t reward the smugglers and the violent criminals. We take our police officers and go after the violent criminals to protect all of us, not to be doing a federal government job and creating less safety in our city.”

Gordon said he did not request the extra security and is following the orders of the Phoenix Police Department. He said while some of the threats are concerning, he has the utmost confidence in the police and in his security detail.