A federal court in Phoenix blocked the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office from enforcing its immigration policy Tuesday. The ruling came after findings that the office engaged in discriminatory practices against Latinos during immigration enforcement, according to court documents and officials involved in the case.
The federal court ruling follows a long history of scrutiny over the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office’s immigration enforcement practices. The office was an early participant in the federal 287(g) program, which deputized local officers to enforce immigration laws under federal supervision. Under former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the MCSO conducted immigration raids and traffic stops predominantly targeting Hispanic neighborhoods and day-labor centers, according to court documents and the findings of U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow.
Records show that roughly 77% of arrests made by one deputy during 287(g) operations involved individuals with Hispanic surnames, while another deputy arrested only Latinos.
Judge Snow previously ruled that the MCSO engaged in racial profiling, violating the civil and constitutional rights of Latinos during these operations. The court found deputies circulated emails comparing Mexicans to dogs and mocking Mexican accents. These findings were part of the 2011 Melendres v. Arpaio case, which resulted in a preliminary injunction against discriminatory enforcement practices.
Despite the injunction, Arpaio’s office continued detaining individuals based solely on suspected civil immigration violations, prompting a U.S. Department of Justice investigation. The investigation led to ICE terminating the 287(g) agreement with Maricopa County. Since then, the MCSO has been under federal oversight stemming from the Melendres case, with court orders costing the county more than $300 million, including over $30 million paid for a court-appointed monitor, according to county financial records.
The 287(g) program was suspended nationwide by ICE in 2012 but was reinstated after President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. Maricopa County had disbanded its immigration-related units following the suspension, and local law enforcement, including Maricopa Police Chief Mark Goodman, has stated they do not enforce federal immigration laws or participate in the 287(g) program. However, the Trump administration has encouraged police departments to rejoin the program as part of a broader push to expand local immigration enforcement.
In response to ongoing federal oversight, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors filed a motion on Dec. 18, 2025, seeking to end the court’s supervision of the sheriff’s office. Board Chairman Thomas Galvin argued that the MCSO is “a completely different agency” since voters removed Arpaio and his team 14 years ago. The county has implemented new policies, conducted anti-bias training, and disbanded immigration enforcement units, the motion states. Officials contend that continued oversight is unjustified, diverts taxpayer dollars from public safety, and disrupts the federalist balance by holding current officials accountable for past misconduct.
The ruling also comes amid broader legal and political debates over local immigration enforcement in Arizona. In 2010, then-Gov. Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070, allowing local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. The U.S. Supreme Court partially struck down several provisions of SB 1070 in Arizona v. United States (2012), but upheld the section permitting officers to investigate immigration status during lawful stops if there is reasonable suspicion. The court’s decision also allowed racial profiling claims related to immigration enforcement to proceed.
Phoenix city officials have recently moved to impose new restrictions on ICE and local law enforcement’s immigration oversight, with the Phoenix City Council preparing to vote on related measures. The city maintains its immigration policies comply with legal standards, according to official statements. Meanwhile, GOP state lawmaker Anthony Nguyen criticized Phoenix for lacking authority to regulate federal immigration enforcement and called on Maricopa County Attorney Kris Mayes to determine the legality of the city’s policies.
Maricopa County has spent significant resources complying with federal court orders related to immigration enforcement, including more than $300 million since the Melendres case began. The court-appointed monitor’s fees alone have exceeded $30 million, reflecting the extensive federal involvement in overseeing the sheriff’s office’s activities.
The recent federal court decision blocking the MCSO from enforcing its immigration policy continues a complex legal and political saga over immigration enforcement in Maricopa County. The ruling underscores ongoing federal concerns about discriminatory practices while local officials seek to assert greater control over immigration-related policing in the region.
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