Arizona Sheriff Gets Cheese Moved by Federal Authorities

By: Kati O'Kelley

Sheriff Joe Arpaio, also known as "America's Toughest Sheriff," is facing an investigation by the Justice Department into allegations of civil rights abuses and American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona is suing the sheriff over immigration raids conducted by his department. The ACLU's class-action suit alleges that Arpaio abused the power given to him under the agreement he had with Homeland Security. In this agreement, that has been held since 2007, Arpaio and the Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff's department were allowed to enforce federal immigration laws.

Sheriff Arpaio has built his reputation as "America's Toughest Sheriff" by the way he treats his inmates, by housing many of them in tents, humiliating them by making them wear pink underwear, and bragging on being able to feel them for less than a dollar a day. Now, Arpaio's is saying that Homeland Security is revising their 2007 agreement by limiting his power to checking the immigration status of inmates already in his Phoenix jail.

As for the suit brought against Arpaio by the ACLU, they are alleging that Arpaio acted unconstitutionally and racially profiled many people in the Maricopa Community that appear to be or are of Latino decent. They say Arpaio has held many high-profile raids to appeal to his supporters.

Sheriff Arpaio says that the allegations against him are "garbage" and contends, "We do not go on street corners and grab people that look like they're from another country. Pursuant to our duties, when we come across illegals, we take action." Arpaio says that he will continue to crack down on illegal immigration.

In the book, "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson, the four characters get their cheese moved. The moving of the cheese represents a problem arising in their life and all of the characters react differently to this. Hem, one of the human characters, is the least accepting of change and refuses to change his behavior. Sheriff Arpaio's behavior parallels the character Hem with his refusal to change his behavior that is obviously harmful. Though it has been pointed out to him by multiple sources that his actions have gone too far, Arpaio has no plans to change his ways. This kind of attitude did not work well for Hem in the book. Hem's refusal to change his behavior even though things were changing around him lead to problems in his circumstances. Arpaio's refusal to see that he has been doing wrong and change change his behavior is sure to have negative consequences.

Image via CNN.com and Getty Images