Joe Arpaio

36th Sheriff of Maricopa County

In office
January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2017
Preceded by Tom Agnos
Succeeded by Paul Penzone
Personal details
Born Joseph Michael Arpaio
June 14, 1932 (age 87)
Springfield, Massachusetts,
U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Ava Lam (m. 1958)
Children 2
Signature

Military service
Allegiance  United States
Branch/
 United States Army
service
Years of 1950–1954
service
Unit Medical Detachment Division
 Military service
Allegiance  United States
Branch/
 United States Army
service
Years of 1950–1954
service
Unit Medical Detachment Division
Joseph Michael Arpaio[1] (/ɑːrˈpaɪoʊ/; born June 14, 1932) is an
American former law enforcement officer and politician. He served as
the 36th Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to
2017, losing reelection to Democrat Paul Penzone in 2016.
Starting in 2005, Arpaio took an outspoken stance against illegal
immigration, styling himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff".[2][3] In
2010, he became a flashpoint for opposition to Arizona's SB1070 anti-
illegal immigrant law, which was largely struck down by the Supreme
Court of the United States.[4][5][6][7] Arpaio is also known for investigating
former U.S. President Barack Obama's birth certificate, and, as of 2018,
he continued to claim without evidence that it was forged.[8][9]
Arpaio has been accused