Judge blocks Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s workplace raids

A federal judge ruled on Monday that an Arizona sheriff known for being tough on immigration can no longer carry out workplace raids that have led to hundreds of undocumented workers getting arrested in the state.

U.S. District Judge David Campbell issued a preliminary inunction to block the raids organized by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and supported by Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. Campbell said in his ruling that the raids must be halted until a final decision is rendered in the class action lawsuit, known as Puente v. Arpaio.

SEE ALSO: Lawsuit seeks to stop Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s workplace raids

The lawsuit was filed by a Phoenix-based human rights group called Puente Arizona and two Maricopa County residents. They argue that the two Arizona identity-theft laws that allow Arpaio to carry out the workplace raids are unconstitutional and discriminate against undocumented immigrants.

Campbell, who heard arguments from both sides of the lawsuit in October, said in his ruling that the plaintiffs have shown they will suffer “irreparable harm if a preliminary injunction is not entered.” He also said the two state laws that the plaintiffs are challenging are “likely to be found unconstitutional.”

In a statement to VOXXI, Arpaio said the citizens of Maricopa County have been “stripped of another protection that this state attempted to enact to protect the integrity and identity of its citizens.”

“I do not understand how federal law can preempt state law when the federal government has proven it has no desire to protect it’s citizens in these areas,” Arpaio added. “I hope that the decision to appeal this particular opinion is made bravely and quickly.”

Dan Pochoda, senior counsel for the ACLU of Arizona, reacted to the news in a statement: “This comprehensive and careful court order should be the final nail in the coffin for these unconstitutional raids.”

Carlos Garcia, executive director of Puente Arizona, also applauded the ruling and called it “an enormous victory for our community.”

“Arpaio and Montgomery are being stripped of the tools they use to illegally terrorize immigrant workers and families,” Garcia said in a statement. “We hope that justice will continue to prevail, that not one more worker is arrested for providing for his or her family and that the racist, anti-immigrant machine for which Arizona is known is dismantled completely.”

SEE ALSO: Sheriff Joe Arpaio to halt squad known for workplace raids

The ruling came nearly three weeks after Arpaio announced he plans to terminate a controversial squad that has for years conducted the workplace raids. He intends to close the squad once an investigation concludes at the end of January or early February.

Since 2008, Arpaio and his deputies have conducted more than 80 workplace raids. The raids have led to the arrest of about 790 undocumented workers who were charged with using fake or stolen IDs to get jobs. The felony charges have led to immigrants being deported.

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