Ariz. sheriff suspends immigration efforts

[DonViejo]

Source: AP

By JACQUES BILLEAUD - Associated Press
PHOENIX --
An Arizona sheriff who led the way for local police across the country to take up immigration enforcement is reconsidering his crackdowns - and other law enforcement officials who followed his lead are expected to eventually back away, too.

Joe Arpaio, the sheriff for metropolitan Phoenix, has temporarily suspended all his immigration efforts after a federal judge concluded two weeks ago that the sheriff's office had racially profiled Latinos in its patrols, Arpaio spokesman Brandon Jones told The Associated Press.

Arpaio critics, including the federal government, are gaining ground in their fight to get the sheriff out of immigration enforcement. Even before the ruling, Washington had stripped Arpaio's office of its special federal immigration arrest powers and started to phase out the program across the country amid complaints that it led to abuses by local officers. The Arpaio ruling is expected to impact state immigration laws in Arizona, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, where local officers question people's immigration status in certain instances.

The national mood on immigration also has changed dramatically. Fewer states are seeking their own immigration laws, and proponents for Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration system have public opinion on their side.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.enquirerherald.com/2013/06/07/2518853/arpaio-temporarily-suspends-immigration.html

[mountain grammy]

1. In other words, ALEC is finally losing it's grip.. on this issue anyway.

[LittleGirl]

2. Good

racist bastard.

[dbackjon]

3. Yes he is

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. George Wallace of Arizona.

[marble falls]

4. It must be snowing in Hell. Arpaio backing up? Never thought I'd see the day, this is just ...

the first of many cracks in his foundations, I pray.

Has there been any repercussions yet in his refusal to investigate what I remember as over 400 cases of sexual assault on undocumented minors? There has to a place in Hell reserved for him just for that.

[Kali]

5. a hell of a lot of people left the state

him backing down probably has more to do with his donating constituents needing their low wage workers back. houses need cleaning, kids watched, landscaping, restaurants, nursing homes, hotels all need these people to work for min. wage or less and not complain.

[Ptah]

6. Also: Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Forced By Court Ruling To Suspend Immigration Enforcement

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2013/06/07/arizona-sheriff-joe-arpaio-forced-by-court-ruling-to-suspend-immigration/

PHOENIX – Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed 'America's Toughest Sheriff,'
who led the way for local law enforcement across the country to take up immigration
enforcement, is now pulling back on his crackdown.

Other law enforcement officials who have followed Arpaio's lead are also expected to
eventually back away from doubling as immigration agents, traditionally considered
a federal responsibility.

Arpaio, the controversial sheriff of Maricopa County, which includes metropolitan Phoenix,
has temporarily suspended all his immigration efforts after a federal judge concluded
two weeks ago that the sheriff's office had racially profiled Latinos in its patrols,
Arpaio spokesman Brandon Jones said.

Arpaio has for years created national headlines for his notorious criticism over
Washington's handling of illegal immigration.