Maricopa County argued that the identity theft laws are neutral on the question of immigration and immigrants in the country illegally, and apply equally to citizens and non-citizens.
Bit by bit, the federal judiciary is tearing out the legal ground from under “America’s toughest sheriff.”
First, a federal appeals court said it was illegal to deny bail to immigrants in the country illegally. Then, on Monday, an Arizona federal judge blasted a state law that stretched the crime of identity theft to include everyone from forgers to people simply seeking employment without valid documentation.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was using that law to justify workplace raids, more than 80 since the Arizona Legislature passed the law in 2008. Those raids rolled up nearly 800 men and women, charged with felonies for seeking employment while they were in the country illegally. It was unclear how many of them were convicted or deported.
But federal law explicitly says seeking employment is not a crime, no matter a person’s immigration status. A group of immigration rights organizations sued Arizona, the county and Arpaio.
On Monday, the plaintiffs prevailed, at least for now.
[…]
