WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Latino Victory Project has called on President Trump to not pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, calling the former sheriff “America’s best-known racial profiler.”
Last month, a federal judge found Arpaio guilty of contempt of court for willfully ignoring an order to stop racially profiling Latinos.
“By pardoning America’s best-known racial profiler just one week after defending neo-Nazis and white supremacists, President Trump would send the message to law enforcement that it’s acceptable to violate Latinos’ civil rights,” said Cristóbal J. Alex, president of Latino Victory Project.
“President Trump should remember that you are the company you keep. By continuing to align himself with racists and criminals like Joe Arpaio, the President has proven he doesn’t have the principles or moral authority to lead our country.”
In his 24-year tenure, Sheriff Arpaio oversaw what the Department of Justice described as “the worst pattern of racial profiling in U.S. history.” He was sued multiple times for keeping inmates in inhumane and unconstitutional living conditions. Additionally, the Associated Press found that between 2005 and 2008 Arpaio neglected to investigate hundreds of sex crimes, including dozens involving children.
