(PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA) The ACLU of Arizona and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department will appear in Pima County Superior Court on August 25, 2025, after months of dispute over a public records request seeking details about deputy contacts with federal immigration officers during traffic stops. The case, assigned to Judge Greg Sakall, centers on whether the Pima County Sheriff’s Department produced all records tied to communications with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, and whether a sudden policy shift this spring made those records harder to find.
At stake is public access to information on how local deputies might coordinate with federal immigration authorities during routine stops—a sensitive issue in Arizona with a long history of debate. The ACLU of Arizona says the department failed to fully answer a May 2025 public records request and then changed its internal policy to stop tracking calls to federal immigration agencies. The group filed suit in July 2025 and is asking the court to order the records released.
The department’s written policy had, since 2018, required tracking and monthly reporting of all deputy calls to immigration authorities. Records show the agency stopped tracking those calls in June 2023. After media questions and the ACLU’s request, the department formally updated its policy on May 21, 2025, to remove the tracking rule altogether. The timing—and what it means for transparency—will now be tested in court.
Sheriff Chris Nanos says deputies do not call ICE or Border Patrol for immigration enforcement during traffic stops. He also says the department will not honor ICE detainers without a warrant, calling detainers “unconstitutional.” He argues that any earlier tracking requirement was a holdover from a past administration and tied to Operation Stonegarden, a now-defunct federal funding program that supported border-area policing. Nanos also says he was unaware the department had a prior rule requiring ongoing tracking.
The ACLU of Arizona, represented by attorney John Mitchell, questions the policy change. The group says cutting record-keeping at the same time the public asked questions undermines trust and may hide possible unlawful cooperation. The civil rights group points to Arizona’s history and reports from community members who say federal officers sometimes arrive soon after local traffic stops. That pattern, the ACLU says, is exactly why detailed records matter—to show whether local deputies are routing people to immigration checks and whether racial profiling or due process problems might be occurring.
Court fight over records and policy shift
The lawsuit alleges the Pima County Sheriff’s Department did not fully answer the public records request submitted in May 2025. The request sought records of any communications or coordination between deputies and ICE or Border Patrol during traffic stops. After delays and partial responses, the ACLU filed suit in July 2025 to compel disclosure.
The first hearing is set for August 25, 2025, before Judge Sakall, and could end with an order directing the department to turn over records or explain, in detail, why the records do not exist.
Key dates and steps:
– 2018–2023: Policy required tracking and monthly reporting of deputy calls to immigration authorities.
– June 2023: Department stopped tracking calls, as later revealed by records.
– May 21, 2025: Policy was updated to remove tracking after media coverage and the ACLU’s request.
– July 2025: ACLU filed suit in Pima County Superior Court.
– August 25, 2025: First court hearing before Judge Greg Sakall.
Sheriff Nanos maintains that deputies are barred from using traffic stops to conduct immigration enforcement and denies routine calls to ICE or Border Patrol for that purpose. He says the department also refuses to hold people on ICE detainers without a warrant.
For readers seeking background on detainers—requests from ICE to local jails to hold someone or provide notice—see the official ICE page on detainers at: https://www.ice.gov/detainers. The ACLU argues that, without tracking, the public cannot tell whether those stated rules match day-to-day practice.
The conflict highlights the tension between privacy, policing, and the public’s right to know.
Arizona law requires agencies to provide records promptly, with narrow exceptions. The ACLU says that when a department stops tracking contacts with federal immigration officers, it makes it harder for the public to check whether local policing affects people based on how they look, the language they speak, or where they were born. The Sheriff’s Office counters that the department’s current policy does not allow deputies to call federal immigration agencies for enforcement during traffic stops, and that previous tracking was tied to a separate federal program no longer in place.
What’s at stake for communities and law enforcement
Immigrant families and mixed-status households say they need clarity about what happens after a minor traffic stop. If Border Patrol or ICE arrives on scene, people can end up in removal proceedings, even when the original stop had nothing to do with immigration.
Local community observers have reported instances where federal agents showed up shortly after sheriff’s deputies pulled someone over. Those reports pushed the public records request that led to this month’s court hearing.
Potential consequences for agencies and communities:
– For the Pima County Sheriff’s Department:
– Could be forced to return to tracking and reporting on immigration-related contacts.
– May set a precedent for other Arizona agencies facing similar questions.
– For civil rights groups and communities:
– Detailed logs are a basic tool to check government power and measure whether deputies treat drivers equally regardless of race or background.
– If records show no calls to immigration officers during traffic stops, that could help rebuild trust.
– If records show frequent contacts, the public would have a right to see when and why.
The hearing before Judge Sakall may not end the dispute. The court could:
1. Give the department more time to respond.
2. Order searches in specific units.
3. Require sworn statements explaining why records do or do not exist.
A clear ruling could push both sides toward a faster resolution and a plan for future record-keeping. Police departments across the state will watch closely to see how judges balance transparency with law enforcement practices.
VisaVerge.com is tracking how local agencies in Arizona respond to community questions about cooperation with federal immigration authorities and how those responses affect public trust.
For those seeking official updates:
– The ACLU of Arizona says filings and court documents will be shared on its website as the case moves forward.
– The Pima County Sheriff’s Department notes that public records requests can be filed through its official site.
– The Pima County Superior Court’s public portal will post scheduling details for the August 25, 2025 hearing and any later proceedings.
The outcome could influence whether agencies across Arizona reinstate tracking of immigration-related contacts—or double down on policies that avoid keeping those logs.
This Article in a Nutshell
A court battle over transparency begins August 25, 2025, as ACLU sues Pima County Sheriff for records on deputy contacts with ICE and Border Patrol, challenging a May 21 policy change that removed tracking requirements and halted visibility into immigration-related communications during traffic stops.
