Arizona Senate Republicans are urging the state to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and support President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan. Senate President Warren Petersen introduced the “AZ ICE Act,” which would require local authorities to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
“Now, we’re shifting our efforts to enforcement,” Petersen said in a statement on X. “I’ve just introduced new legislation to help President Trump and his administration combat the crisis at the border. The Arizona ICE Act would ensure a partnership between local and federal law enforcement to end the chaos of Biden’s open border policies.”
Point phone camera here
Petersen explained that the legislation would allow local police officers to enforce federal immigration laws in partnership with ICE. It would also make it easier to remove and deport migrants who have committed crimes and are living in the U.S. illegally.
If passed, the bill would mandate law enforcement compliance with ICE detainer requests by Jan. 1, 2026. It would also provide additional funding to local law enforcement for its implementation. The measure would also prohibit sanctuary laws that prevent law enforcement from collaborating with federal immigration authorities.
“Ending the border crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach,” Petersen’s statement reads. “This commonsense legislation will not only allow federal and local law enforcement to work together to protect our citizens, but it will also prevent government obstruction.”
The proposed legislation comes just one day after President Trump’s inauguration. Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan, have promised to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants, beginning with those who have committed crimes.
It remains unclear whether Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs will sign or veto the bill.
Hobbs vetoed an immigration bill in March 2024 passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. It would have made it a crime for noncitizens to cross into Arizona from anywhere other than a port of entry.
Republicans currently lack enough votes in either chamber of the state Legislature to override a veto from the Democratic governor.
“What I will unequivocally say is that, as governor, I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities, and Arizona will not take part in those,” Hobbs said while appearing on ABC News on Nov. 18.
Tags: Arizona, Donald Trump, Immigrant, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Joe Biden, Katie Hobbs, migrants, Republicans, Tom Homan
ARIZONA SENATE REPUBLICANS WANT THEIR BORDER STATE TO COOPERATE WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES TO HELP WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION PLAN.
SENATE PRESIDENT WARREN PETERSEN INTRODUCED THE “AZ ICE ACT” WHICH WOULD ENSURE LOCAL AUTHORITIES COOPERATE WITH US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
“NOW, WE’RE SHIFTING OUR EFFORTS TO ENFORCEMENT,” PETERSEN SAID IN A STATEMENT ON X. “I’VE JUST INTRODUCED NEW LEGISLATION TO HELP PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION COMBAT THE CRISIS AT THE BORDER. THE ARIZONA ICE ACT WOULD ENSURE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO END THE CHAOS OF BIDEN’S OPEN BORDER POLICIES.”
SENATOR PETERSEN SAYS THAT PARTNERSHIP WOULD ALLOW LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS TO ENFORCE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ICE, ESSENTIALLY MAKING IT EASIER TO REMOVE AND DEPORT CRIMINAL UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS.
IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW, IT WOULD MANDATE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPLIANCE WITH ICE DETAINER REQUESTS BY JANUARY FIRST, 20-26 AND ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION.
THE BILL WOULD ALSO PROHIBIT BANS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT COLLABORATING WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. THESE ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SANCTUARY LAWS.
“ENDING THE BORDER CRISIS REQUIRES AN ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK APPROACH,” PETERSEN SAID IN A STATEMENT ON X. “THIS COMMONSENSE LEGISLATION WILL NOT ONLY ALLOW FEDERAL AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, BUT IT WILL ALSO PREVENT GOVERNMENT OBSTRUCTION.”
THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION COMES ONE DAY AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS INAUGURATED. TRUMP AND HIS BORDER CZAR, TOM HOMAN, HAVE PROMISED THEY WOULD CARRY OUT MASS DEPORTATIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS – STARTING WITH CRIMINAL MIGRANTS FIRST.
IT’S UNCLEAR IF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR KATIE HOBBS WILL SIGN OR VETO THE BILL.
IN MARCH 2024, HOBBS VETOED AN IMMIGRATION BILL, PASSED BY THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE – THAT WOULD HAVE MADE IT A CRIME FOR NONCITIENS TO CROSS INTO ARIZONA FROM ANY WHERE OTHER THAN A PORT OF ENTRY.
REPUBLICANS DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MEMBERS IN EITHER CHAMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO OVERRIDE THE FRESHMAN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR’S VETO.
<p>
”
WHAT I WILL UNEQUIVOCALLY SAY IS THAT, AS GOVERNOR, I WILL NOT TOLERATE EFFORTS THAT ARE PART OF MISGUIDED POLICIES THAT HARM OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT THREATEN OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITIES, AND ARIZONA WILL NOT TAKE PART IN THOSE,” GOVERNOR HOBBS SAID WHILE APPEARING ON ABC BEWS ON NOVEMBER 18TH.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
