A group trying to oust polarizing Sheriff Joe Arpaio is facing an uphill battle in an attempt to force a recall election by Thursday’s deadline.
In order to make the recall happen of the Maricopa Country Sheriff happen, organizers must turn in the more than 335,000 valid voter signatures by 4 p.m. Thursday.
So far they have struggled to raise funds and have had to rely mainly on volunteers to collect signatures as they mount a campaign against a Arizona politician who has a base of devoted supporters.
Arpaio should be dismissed, they say, because his office has failed to adequately investigate more than 400 sex crimes cases, has cost the county $25 million in legal settlements over treatment in county jails, and a federal judge ruled that his office had systematically targeted Latinos in his signature immigration patrols.
"We can't allow the sheriff to stay in office four more years," said recall campaign manager Lilia Alvarez.
Arpaio gained national attention for his often contentious efforts to combat illegal immigration across Arizona's 3,169 kilometer (1,969 mile) border with Mexico.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that Arpaio's deputies pulled over some vehicles only to make immigration status checks. They also accused the sheriff of ordering some immigration patrols not based on reports of crime but rather on letters and emails from Arizonans who complained about people with dark skin congregating in an area or speaking Spanish.
The recall group said more backers have come forward since the racial profiling decision on Friday. Supporters have been camped outside a county building since Sunday in their final push.
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