Sheriff Joe Challenges Obama Order On Immigration

Sheriff Joe Arpaio began his legal challenge to President Obama’s immigration executive order in federal court yesterday, Fox News reported. Arpaio, the Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, argued in his challenge that the Obama executive order on immigration is unconstitutional and should be overturned by the court. Arguments on the challenge of the order were heard by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington D.C. Arpaio was represented by attorney Larry Klayman, formerly with Judicial Watch.

“Howell, during the hearing, seemed skeptical of the lawsuit brought by Arpaio, the Maricopa County sheriff known for his tough approach to illegal immigration. Howell repeatedly questioned whether Arpaio has legal standing to challenge Obama’s action. She told Klayman that Congress is in a better position to question the president’s authority rather than a federal court,” Fox News reported on the challenge of Obama’s immigration order by Sheriff Joe.

Klayman expressed confidence in the case to challenge Obama’s executive order and said he and Arpaio would take the case to a higher federal court if needed.

“President Obama and others recite that the immigration system of the United States is broken,” Klayman wrote in a court challenge to the order. “It is unmistakable that the only thing that is broken about the nation’s immigration laws is that the defendants are determined to break those laws.”

The Hill reported Judge Howell was skeptical of the challenge to Obama’s immigration order and was not prepared to hand down a ruling on it yesterday.

“Arpaio and his office have been negatively impacted by the executive actions,” Klayman argued. The sheriff, who’s unpopular in the immigrant community, could face “bodily harm or death” with more immigrants on the streets,” The Hill reported on Klayman’s arguments in challenge to the Obama immigration order.

This challenge to Obama’s executive order on immigration follows several legal battles between Sheriff Joe and the Obama Administration. In the past, the Justice Department under Obama has investigated the Maricopa County Sheriff’s office, while Arpaio has also challenged past orders and policies on immigration from the Obama Administration.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio had filed the challenge to the Obama immigration order last month, The Inquisitr reported. The Sheriff sued the Obama Administration, challenging the order because he said the policies impeded efforts by his office to enforce immigration laws and would “severely strain resources, both in manpower and financially, necessary to protect the citizens.”

[Image of Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Wikipedia]