It seems like rarely a few weeks pass by until we read about Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Arizona’s six-term sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. He’s responsible for law enforcement across the entire county, which includes the county jail – and he’s been featured on several reality TV programs about life on the inside.
While that’s all well and good, he’s been a staunch supporter of immigration law enforcement. He’s been found guilty of racial profiling in federal court for disproportionately targeting Latinos, and local citizens have demanded that he apologize to the community-at-large.
But what does Joe Arpaio stand for, and how does it affect legal immigration to the U.S.?
Joe Arpaio’s Anti-Immigration Stance
While it’s okay to believe in a cause, Arpaio is over-zealous, according to U.S. District Judge David Campbell. Campbell filed an injunction against Arpaio to stop him from sending his deputies to conduct unconstitutional raids on area businesses that he suspected were hiring undocumented immigrants.
Here’s how it affects legal immigration, though.
At the end of December 2014, Arpaio attempted to sue President Barack Obama for protecting nearly 5 million people from immediate deportation. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell threw out the suit, but Arpaio has vowed not to quit until the U.S. has the most stringent immigration laws on the planet.
What this means is that if he succeeds in forcing federal officials to change our existing laws, immigrants following the proper protocol will have even longer wait times and more red tape – and it could especially affect those seeking immigration waivers through an attorney or on their own.
Arpaio is also against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability programs, citing the Constitution as his basis. However, only the Supreme Court can rule on whether an executive action is constitutional.
Despite Arpaio’s plans, legal immigration to the U.S. is still undergoing positive changes. The progress is slow (and in some cases, painfully so), but working with a Milwaukee immigration lawyer who can walk you through the process can help your own path to the U.S.
