U.S. District Judge Murray Snow rejected a bid by Maricopa County to end federal supervision of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office on September 10, 2026, ruling that a durable remedy against racial profiling has not been established. The case stems from former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration patrols targeting Latinos. While county officials and the Department of Justice supported ending oversight, Judge Snow cited a 4.7-minute disparity in traffic stop durations. County officials plan to appeal.
Court supervision continuation ruling
- ▪U.S. District Judge Murray Snow ruled that Maricopa County failed to show that the objectives of the court's orders, such as correcting racial profiling practices, had been achieved.
- ▪The U.S. Department of Justice supported ending the court supervision of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
- ▪U.S. District Judge Murray Snow found that a durable remedy had not been established to ensure racial profiling violations would not recur if court supervision ended.
- ▪U.S. District Judge Murray Snow rejected a bid by Maricopa County to end the court's supervision of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office on September 10, 2026.
Arpaio-era racial profiling case
- ▪A federal court ruling in 2013 found that Hispanics were racially profiled during former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration crackdowns.
- ▪The racial profiling case centered on 20 large-scale traffic patrols launched by former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio targeting immigrants from January 2008 through October 2011.
- ▪The 2013 federal court ruling required expensive court-ordered overhauls of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's traffic patrol operations and internal affairs unit.
- ▪Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio was found in civil and criminal contempt for disobeying a 2011 order to stop traffic patrols targeting immigrants, but was pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2017.
Traffic stop duration disparities
- ▪A plaintiffs' expert analyzing all traffic stop data from 2023 and 2024 found a 4.7-minute difference in stop duration between Hispanic and white drivers.
- ▪U.S. District Judge Murray Snow stated that Maricopa County offered limited evidence to explain the 4.7-minute difference in traffic stop durations between Hispanic and white drivers.
- ▪The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's traffic stop studies excluded the longest stops, which accounted for at least half of the agency's stops in 2024 and 2025.
County officials appeal plans
- ▪Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko stated that continued federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office depletes public funds.
- ▪Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko expressed disappointment in the ruling and signaled that the county would appeal.
Sheriff's office statement
- ▪The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, stated it believed it had implemented durable remedies for violations that occurred 19 years and three administrations ago.
- ▪The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office stated it looks forward to working with the opposing side to determine if portions of the court order can be eliminated.
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