Dever, 60, was a vocal proponent of SB 1070 , Arizona's tough immigration law that was mostly upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. On Tuesday, a federal district court judge lifted the injunction allowing law officers to check immigration status of subjects with reasonable suspicion.
Sheriff Dever oversaw a jurisdiction of about 117,000 residents in the southeastern corner of Arizona at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sheriff Dever was elected to his first term as sheriff in 1996. He joined the office as a deputy in 1976 and rose through the ranks from sergeant to major before running for office. He was re-elected to a fourth term in 2008.