Arizona’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio has suspended immigration enforcement on the heels of a federal court ruling that declared his patrol profiling polices as biased against Hispanics.
The suspension could have a trickle-down effect. Mr. Arpaio’s crackdown on immigration was mirrored by other law enforcers across the nation — and his announced suspension of policy could lead to similar copycat suspensions, The Associated Press reported.
Brandon Jones, a spokesman for Mr. Arpaio, said the suspension was temporary, AP reported.
Even before the court’s finding against Mr. Arpaio, the federal government had already put his policy in its crosshairs, stripping the sheriff’s office of special immigration arrest powers, AP said.
Law enforcement agencies in Arizona, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina — localities that let police question suspects’ immigration status — may be impacted by the court ruling and Mr. Arpaio’s decision to suspend policy, AP reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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