Is Joe Arpaio the New George Wallace?

Buddy
First, police aren't pigs. Second, they do a difficult job.
The Sheriff here employs a strategy that essentially says, if you're brown and you live on this side of town, this gives me probable cause to stop you and demand to see your proof of citizenship.
This bothers me. My wife is a so-called person of color, people don't overtly look down on her, but a kind of subtle racism underlies some people's attitudes.
People, like the sheriff are living in a lily white 'Leave it to Beaver' world that never existed in the first place. Their xenophobic attitudes arise, at least in some people's minds, longing for an America that never was, and never will be.
People like him just cannot get their heads around the idea that American demographics have changed, AND there's no going back to a world they illogically long for.
America, like it or not, is a de-facto multilingual society.
The sheriff is almost delusional with his immigration fetish, (for lack of a better word). Like John Wayne, he's riding into town and is single-handedly going to set things back to the Antebellum Era when Native Americans were sub-human drunks, and Hispanics were not really American enough somehow.
When I was in high school in Tucson many years ago I was friends with an Hispanic girl. One day another student stupidly insulted her calling her a 'wet-back' Her response was this," I didn't cross the border, the border crossed me. My family has lived here for the better part of four centuries!"
Get over it Joe, America is more diverse than ever and these demographics aren't likely to change any time soon.

Buddy
The landslide victories the sheriff gets do not necessarily reflect the intelligence or patriotism of the electorate. Witness, Strom Thurmon, Herbert Hoover, George W., Jeff Sessions, Haly Barbour, Eric Cantor, John Boener, Sarah Palin, John Kyl, John McCain, et al. The list could go on forever with politicos from both parties. Having said that, there isn't much more that can be done about the citizens of Maricopa County.
What's really going on here is not about law enforcement; It's about primarily three things; to feed the inflated sense of self-worth of the sheriff, to turn law enforcement into a vulgar sideshow for Joe's ego, (and his fans amusement), and a platform to exhibit his bravado for defying, ultimately, the Attorney General of the United States.
As far as this empty argument goes about undocumented aliens stealing American jobs is a myth. They take often-times unpleasant and hard work with long hours that native citizens will not do. I've known my share of citizens who, when they find a job, stop looking for work!
Observing the sheriff's theater of the absurd is comedy for some people, save others, such as me, are not entertained.

And, I have personally witnessed police brutality. One night I was at Joe Louis Arena with my brother-in-law for a Red Wings hockey game. On the walkway from the parking structure to the arena we witnessed a policeman literally kicking the shit out of some homeless guy. His crime, selling lapel pins of the American Flag for $0.50.
In my hometown a squad of policemen murdered a schizophrenic who was "armed with a garden rake" who didn't comply with a police order to drop the rake. He must have been one dangerous dude, besides having the misfortune of being black, it took a fusilade of bullets to bring him down. I, if I were one of the policemen who fired, would be loath to admit that I wasn't man enough to disarm a schizophrenic armed with what we all know is a deadly weapon, a garden rake. In this particular case, not one officer was penalized or even rebuked, much less charged with homocide.
I write this not to pick an argument with the authorities, but rather make the much broader point that the more power the citizenry gives to law enforcement, the more precious freedoms they will stomp on.
Immigration is a federal issue. Joe should abandon this carnival like fixation with immigration. It's hard for me to understand how his actions make me any safer.
Retire and immigrate to Edmonton sheriff. Everyone there is white and you are unlikely to encounter any ferocious Mexicans.