President Donald Trump is considering pardoning former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio as early as in the next few days.
Arpaio is known for his tough stance on illegal immigration. As sheriff, he continued to carry out traffic patrols against illegal immigrants even after a judge ordered him to stop.
Arpaio was found guilty two weeks ago of criminal contempt for defying the judge’s order.
“I am seriously considering a pardon for Sheriff Arpaio,” President Trump told Fox News on Sunday.
“He has done a lot in the fight against illegal immigration. He’s a great American patriot and I hate to see what has happened to him.”
Arpaio earned the monicker “America’s toughest sheriff” for his tough treatment of inmates, which included issuing male prisoners pink socks and underwear, housing inmates in tent camps without air conditioning, and reintroducing chain gangs for both male and female prisoners.
