Sheriff Joe Arpaio temporarily suspends immigration efforts

Rick Scuteri/AP

Joe Arpaio

Associated Press

Thursday, June 13, 2013 | 3:05 a.m.

An Arizona sheriff who led the way for local police across the country to take up immigration enforcement is reconsidering his crackdowns _ and other law enforcement officials who followed his lead are expected to eventually back away, too.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio temporarily suspended all his immigration efforts after a judge concluded two weeks ago that the sheriff's office had racially profiled Latinos in its patrols.

Arpaio critics are gaining ground in their fight to get the sheriff out of immigration enforcement.

Before the ruling, Washington had stripped Arpaio's office of its federal immigration arrest powers and started to phase out its program that gave the sheriff that authority amid complaints that it led to abuses by local officers.

The national mood on immigration also has changed dramatically.