Ann arizona push He bypassed Gov. Katie Hobbs and put tougher immigration laws before voters, clearing major hurdles in the state Senate.
Arizona Senate President Warren Peterson told Fox News Digital: “The governor has openly said the border is not secure. She is saying the federal government is failing us and the Biden administration is failing us.” Unfortunately, they are just words.” She said: “She hasn’t proposed anything and she hasn’t given us anything regarding the border.”
Peterson’s comments came after an Arizona Senate committee approved the Border Security Act (HCR 2060) on Wednesday, moving one step closer to resolving the issue. Voters this November.
Border state Republicans push for Texas-style immigration law in defiance of White House
Migrants cross the border from Mexico and wait for soup donated by the Yuma County Anti-Slavery Group in San Luis, Arizona, on May 23, 2022. (Tama Mario/Getty Images)
The bill is modeled after Texas’ controversial SB4, which would make it a crime to cross the border illegally.like below Texas law, The bill, which is at the center of an ongoing legal battle, would give local law enforcement the power to enforce immigration laws.
“This is truly a border security bill,” said Peterson, Arizona’s top Republican in the Senate. “This will allow law enforcement to arrest, detain, and bring them to justice if they find someone crossing the border illegally.”
Mr. Peterson explained that the bill addresses three important issues. Border security, addressing the state’s fentanyl crisis, and making sure people receiving government benefits are legally in the country.
Most illegal border crossings move away from Texas and into Arizona and California
Arizona lawmakers also emphasized that the new bill is significantly different from SB 1070, the state’s controversial 2010 immigration law that was partially struck down by the Supreme Court in 2012.
While the bill would have allowed law enforcement in any part of the state to ask questions about immigration status, the bill focuses more narrowly on border security, Peterson explained. did.
By putting the issue before voters, Arizona Republicans are effectively sidestepping the state’s Democratic governor, who in March vetoed a similar bill that would have made illegally crossing the border a state crime. be able to.
“This bill will not secure our borders. On the contrary, it will be harmful to our state’s businesses and communities and burden our law enforcement personnel,” Hobbs said at the time. “I know there is frustration with the federal government’s inability to secure our borders, but this bill is not the solution.”
A group of migrants head to a van as hundreds of migrants gather along the border on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Lukeville, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
For more information on the border security crisis, click here
Hobbs also said he would not support the new initiative, AZ Family reported.
“We will continue to work with our border communities and the coalition we have built to ensure that we address the situation whether this bill is on the ballot or not,” Hobbs said.
But Peterson believes a new bill is the best way to tackle the problem, saying the governor hasn’t offered any concrete plans to address the border crisis and instead recommends a Republican-led He claimed to have vetoed all bills introduced by Congress.
“We introduced 10 bills in the last two years to address border security, and she vetoed them all,” Peterson said. “We will send it to voters to decide in November.”
Peterson said he believes the bill has a good chance of passing before voters, noting that the border crisis is a top concern for many of the constituents he and his colleagues represent.
Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed a Republican-sponsored bill that would have allowed police to arrest illegal immigrants, calling it anti-immigrant and likely unconstitutional. The veto was criticized by Republicans who said the bill would help curb numerous crimes related to illegal immigration in the Grand Canyon State. (YouTube)
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The proposal will now move to the full Senate for approval, with a vote scheduled for May 15th.
The bill also needs to be considered in the state House of Representatives, which has the support of Republican House Speaker Ben Thoma, AZ Family reports.
Hobbs’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
