WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tonight President Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio, former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, who was voted out of office in 2016 and was convicted in July of criminal contempt-of-court. For decades, Arpaio targeted immigrants in his jurisdiction and has been accused of infringing upon their civil and human rights.
In response to the pardon, the following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum:
“Our president has pardoned a man who profiled and degraded immigrants. By doing so, President Trump is sending a message that he accepts the inhumane treatment that Joe Arpaio inflicted.
“Pardoning Joe Arpaio diminishes the very concept of law and order. Despite a judge’s order against it, he continued to detain people merely because he suspected they might not be in the country lawfully. Meanwhile, sex abuse crimes were not investigated in Maricopa County under his watch.
“Moments like these are when we must ask ourselves what kind of country we want to live in: one that turns a blind eye on law and order, or one where we unite under our shared values to respect the humanity of immigrants.”