Will Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller get a talking to tomorrow?

It appears likely, as his office is set to be the focus of multiple agenda items during the Pinal County Board of Supervisors’ executive session and regular meeting Wednesday.

Supervisors are scheduled to consult with attorneys on the legality of Miller’s office signing a federal immigration enforcement agreement, followed by a public discussion and a vote to approve or reject the agreement. The discussion could again center on whether the county attorney’s office answers to the board or operates independently.

The issue surfaced in December, when supervisors held a closed-door discussion about an Aug. 28 Memorandum of Agreement signed by Miller’s office with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The agreement authorizes investigators with the Pinal County Attorney’s Office to question individuals about their immigration status, hold people under immigration detainers and transport detainees to ICE-approved facilities. Supervisors have taken issue with the fact that Miller’s office signed the agreement without first seeking board approval.

The timing of the debate coincides with Miller publicly predicting increased ICE activity in the county. During a press conference last week announcing plans to expand Arizona’s obstruction statute, Miller said residents should expect more federal immigration enforcement in response to a question from InMaricopa.

“We will expect more ICE operations,” Miller said, “and the reason why is because it’s absolutely necessary. We have traffickers, we have drug traffickers, we have human traffickers all throughout the county.”

During executive session, supervisors will also confer with attorneys about PCAO “employment matters and next steps to minimize any potential future county liability or exposure,” according to the agenda.

No additional details are provided, but the discussion may relate to a Phoenix New Times report published last week that detailed allegations by Miller’s former spokesperson, Beth Goulden, including claims of sex discrimination and being forced to work without pay.

Even if the discussion is unrelated to Goulden, who went on to lead the Arizona Sex Offender Management Board, it would not be the first time supervisors have addressed employment issues within Miller’s office. In September, the board unanimously rejected Miller’s nominee for Pinal County deputy chief attorney, citing insufficient experience in civil litigation.

“This position serves as the chief legal advisor for the county and we, the board, are its primary client,” Vice Chairman Jeff McClure said at the time.

Another agenda item tied to the broader immigration discussion involves updating a similar agreement between DHS, ICE and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. That agreement was signed June 9, 2020, and the update would revise agency contact information following the transition from former Sheriff Mark Lamb to current Sheriff Ross Teeple.