Laws used to justify Ariz. sheriff's raids upheld

PHOENIX - A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the laws used to back Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's workplace raids will remain on the books, capping off a two-year lawsuit that claimed Arizona's identity-theft statutes targeted immigrant workers.

In his decision, U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell found that while the laws did largely affect undocumented immigrants, they also served as a legitimate law-enforcement tool in combating identity theft.

"The laws were passed in part for their effect on immigration by unauthorized aliens," he wrote, "but the legislature was also addressing a pressing criminal problem that adversely affected Arizona residents."

Arpaio's brand of illegal-immigration enforcement sparked various legal challenges throughout the last several years, and Tuesday's ruling serves as one of the lawman's rare victories.

"I have taken a lot of criticism for going into the businesses, arresting workers that are here illegally," Arpaio said Tuesday evening. "I said from the beginning my main objective was to enforce the ID laws, so I'm very happy that the judge ruled in our favor."

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