A federal judge has denied a request to end court supervision of Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in a long-running case involving allegations of racial profiling. The decision comes 13 years after Judge Murray Snow first ruled that Hispanics were subjected to racial profiling during immigration enforcement operations led by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In his latest ruling, Snow said the county had not proven that the goals of the court’s previous orders—such as ending discriminatory practices—had been fully met. He also noted that no lasting solution had been put in place to prevent future violations if oversight ended. County officials, who have expressed frustration over the financial burden of court supervision, argued that Arpaio’s controversial immigration policies are no longer in effect and that current operations are free from racial bias. They also pointed to studies showing changes in how traffic stops are conducted by the sheriff’s office. The U.S. Department of Justice, which previously supported the plaintiffs in the case, also backed the county’s request to end oversight. The case originated from a series of large-scale traffic patrols conducted between 2008 and 2011 in metro Phoenix, which targeted immigrants, particularly in Latino neighborhoods. Latino plaintiffs claimed they were stopped, detained, questioned, or searched by Arpaio’s officers while driving in Maricopa County. The judge’s earlier ruling required significant changes to the sheriff’s traffic patrol operations and later to its internal affairs unit to address the alleged discrimination. In his recent decision, Judge Snow questioned the data the county used to support its argument. The sheriff’s office excluded data from longer stops—such as those involving suspected drunk drivers or language barriers—which accounted for at least half of all traffic stops in 2024 and 2025. Snow referenced an analysis by a plaintiffs’ expert who reviewed all traffic stop data from 2023 and 2024, finding a 4.7-minute difference in the average duration of stops between Hispanic and white drivers. This contrasted with the county’s own reports, which showed only minor, statistically insignificant differences after excluding the longer stops. The judge criticized the county for not adequately explaining these disparities. While the county sought to end all federal oversight of the sheriff’s office, Judge Snow instructed both sides to determine whether certain requirements from the court orders could be removed. Two members of Maricopa County’s governing board expressed disappointment with the ruling and said the county would appeal. They argued that continued federal oversight would waste public funds and take resources away from the sheriff’s main role: fighting crime and protecting public safety. The sheriff’s office claimed it had put in place lasting solutions to address violations that occurred nearly two decades ago under three different administrations. The agency said it is open to working with the opposing side to see if parts of the court order can be eliminated. Arpaio, who was removed from office in 2016, was found in both civil and criminal contempt for ignoring a 2011 court order to stop targeting immigrants in traffic patrols. He was spared jail time when his misdemeanor conviction was pardoned by former President Donald Trump in 2017. U.S. Representative Andy Biggs, a Republican running against Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, has criticized the official appointed by the court to monitor the sheriff’s office. He has also introduced legislation to impose term limits and compensation caps on such monitors.