Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently wrote an e-mail to supporters asking them to “join me today and help me STOP ILLEGALS FROM STEALING THIS ELECTION!”

Arpaio, the controversial Sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona, has railed against illegal immigration, but is under investigation by the Justice Department due to allegations that his anti-illegal immigration techniques are discriminatory.

“Nothing is more important in protecting the United States today than protecting the sanctity of our votes. Sadly, we are not just fighting criminals from other nations,” Arpaio writes. “We are fighting our own president and very determined individuals in America who want to disenfranchise U.S. Citizens of their votes.”

Lydia Guzman, director of the nonprofit immigrant advocacy group Respect/Respeto, told TPMMuckraker that Arpaio’s e-mail was inappropriate because his office would handle many elections-related activities.

“When this Sheriff sends out e-mails like the one he sent out, it poses a problem,” Guzman said. “He should not be the person to enforce or oversee the protection of the election because he’s the one who is going to be disenfranchising the electorate.”As TPMMuckraker has reported, allegations of voter fraud have returned this year, though many voting rights experts say have been overblown.

Here’s the e-mail: