Four Democratic U.S. House members are calling for the new attorney general and Homeland Security secretary to investigate allegations of racial profiling against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

�Sheriff Arpaio has repeatedly demonstrated disregard for the rights of Hispanics in the Phoenix metropolitan area,� said a press release issued by U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., chairman of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, and three other lawmakers. �Under the guise of immigration enforcement, his staff has conducted raids in residential neighborhoods in a manner condemned by the community as racial profiling.

�Racial profiling and segregation are simply not acceptable,� Conyers, from Michigan, is quoted as saying in the release. �Media stunts and braggadocio are no substitute for fair and effective law enforcement.�

Arpaio strongly denied that his deputies have used racial profiling. �We're doing the right thing,� the sheriff said. �If I was worried, with all the allegations, why would I keep doing it? I'm not stupid, having worked for the feds for 30 years�

Arpaio compared the lawmakers' request to similar ones made within the past year from Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and immigrant advocacy groups. A federal investigation hasn't materialized, which Arpaio said made him confident federal authorities wouldn't find any violations in his immigration-enforcement efforts. He said he anticipated new �calls for investigation� after President Barack Obama was elected in November.

The other House members calling for the probe are Immigration Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Immigration Subcommitte Chairwoman; Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., Constitution Subcommittee Chairman, and Bobby Scott, D-Va., Crime Subcommittee Chairman. They and Conyers sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former governor of Arizona, requesting the following:

That authorities investigate whether civil action should be taken against Arpaio's office; and that Arpaio be forced to conform to his agreement with federal authorities that allows deputies to enforce immigration laws. �We urge that such an agreement be terminated if the situation cannot be remedied,� their letter states.

Arpaio has stirred controversy over the past few years by sending deputies into neighborhoods to conduct crime suppression operations that critics contend are really aimed at arresting illegal immigrants by targeting Latinos.

A series of recent worksite raids by the sheriff's office have also drawn similar complaints of racial profiling and excessive use of force.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said Arpaio is following the agreement he signed with them allowing enforcement of federal immigration laws.