Report: Sheriff Joe Arpaio To Endorse Donald Trump

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio listens to a question at news conference at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Headquarters Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, in Phoenix. County officials are holding a closed-door meeting Th... Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio listens to a question at news conference at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Headquarters Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, in Phoenix. County officials are holding a closed-door meeting Thursday to consider action in two lawsuits that accuse Arpaio of abusing his powers. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) MORE LESS
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Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio is expected to endorse Donald Trump Tuesday afternoon at an event in Iowa, according to the New York Times.

“I have great respect for Sheriff Arpaio. We must restore law and order and respect the men and women of our police forces. I thank him for his support of my policies and candidacy for President,” Trump said in a statement to the New York Times.

The Maricopa County sheriff touted Trump as a great leader in a statement released to the Times by the Trump campaign.

“He produces results and is ready to get tough in order to protect American jobs and families. I have fought on the front lines to prevent illegal immigration and I know Donald Trump will stand with me, and countless Americans to secure our border,” he said. “I am proud to support him as the best candidate for President of the United States of America.”

Other news outlets confirmed that Arpaio would attend an event with Trump in Iowa:

But Arpaio’s office told CBS News’ Sopan Deb that the visit would not necessarily come with an endorsement:

Arpaio and Trump have both engaged in the “birther” movement questioning whether President Obama actually was born in the United States, which Arpaio recently noted.

Both also oppose allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States. But Arpaio disagreed in September with Trump’s comments about Mexican “rapists” entering the U.S. illegally.

“I agree with him on one aspect, that we do have rapists and murderers coming across the border, but not everybody,” Arpaio told Fusion.

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