Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has attracted admirers, critics, and the media for his hard anti-illegal immigration stance in Maricopa County, said Tuesday that federal officials had taken away his authority to conduct street patrols looking for undocumented immigrants.

As documented in a NOW on PBS report, The Department of Homeland Security had created a program, authorized by law in 1996, that allowed local and state police forces to make immigration arrests. On Tuesday, Arpaio called Homeland Security officials "liars" and vowed to continue his campaign using state laws.