A federal judge has rejected a bid to end court supervision of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, a case stemming from a ruling 13 years ago that found Hispanics were racially profiled during immigration crackdowns. U.S. District Judge Murray Snow stated Thursday that the county failed to show the objectives of the court's orders, such as correcting the practices that led to profiling, had been achieved. He also determined that a "durable remedy" was not in place to prevent future violations if supervision ceased.
County officials had argued that the sheriff's office's immigration policies are no longer in effect, racial bias has been eliminated from its operations, and recent studies of traffic stops indicated the agency had changed. The U.S. Department of Justice, which has previously sided with plaintiffs, supported ending the court supervision.
The case originated from approximately 20 large-scale traffic patrols conducted by then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio between January 2008 and October 2011. These operations involved deputies stopping traffic violators and arresting other offenders in metro Phoenix neighborhoods, including those with a significant Latino population. Plaintiffs, who were Latinos stopped or detained by Arpaio's officers, alleged they were targeted based on race.
Judge Snow's prior ruling mandated significant overhauls of the agency's traffic patrol and internal affairs operations. In his recent decision, Snow raised concerns about the validity of the county's traffic stop studies. He noted that the sheriff's office excluded the longest stops, including those involving suspected drunk drivers or language barriers, which accounted for at least half of the agency's stops in 2024 and 2025.
An analysis by a plaintiffs' expert, evaluating all traffic stop data from 2023 and 2024, found a 4.7-minute difference in stop duration between Hispanic and white drivers. Judge Snow highlighted that these figures contrasted sharply with the county's reports, which excluded longer stops and showed statistically insignificant differences.
The county provided limited explanations for these disparities, according to the judge. While the county sought to terminate all court supervision, Snow directed the involved parties to confer on whether specific requirements could be removed from the existing court orders.
Leaders on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors expressed disappointment and indicated plans to appeal the ruling. Board chair Kate Brophy McGee and vice chair Debbie Lesko stated that continued federal oversight would deplete public funds and divert resources from the sheriff's primary duties.
The Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, said in a statement that it believes it has implemented durable remedies for violations that occurred nearly two decades ago under previous administrations. The agency indicated it would work with opposing parties to explore the possibility of eliminating certain aspects of the court order.
Joe Arpaio, who was voted out of office in 2016, was previously found in civil and criminal contempt for defying a 2011 order to cease his immigration-focused traffic patrols. He received a pardon from President Donald Trump in 2017 before facing a possible jail sentence.