FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2013
Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.or
Renewed Call for Arpaio's Resignation Comes in Wake of Landmark Court Decision That Found Maricopa County Sheriff Engaged in Rampant Racial Profiling
One year ago, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) joined a number of Phoenix-area and Arizona organizations in calling on Sheriff Joe Arpaio to resign in the wake of a blistering U.S. Department of Justice report detailing the blatant and extensive racial profiling, harassment and abuse facing Latinos in Maricopa County. Today, NCLR renewed its call for Sheriff Joe to step down, effective immediately, following an equally scorching ruling by U.S. District Judge Murray Snow that found that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has in fact improperly and unconstitutionally singled out Latinos for immigration enforcement, in violation of their civil rights.
“For years, Arpaio has defied the facts, common sense and any sense of ethics and accountability by denying these allegations. And now, after nearly a decade of story after story from Arpaio’s victims, yet another institution—this time Judge Snow and the U.S. District Court—has used the office’s own words and documents in finding that racial profiling is the law of the land in the MCSO. There are no more excuses, and there is no place left for Joe Arpaio to hide. He and his office have willfully and systematically violated the civil rights of those he swore to protect, so he must go,” stated Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR.
“This decision is a vindication for the courageous Latinos and all others who have come forward to tell of their harassment and abuse and for those leaders who brought the stories to light and the MCSO to justice. While we applaud Judge Snow’s injunction, only a full-scale housecleaning of the MCSO—starting from the very top—will ultimately resolve this problem,” concluded Murguía.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
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