By Daniel Stefanski |
An Arizona Republican attempt to refer border security policies to the November General Election ballot is being met with severe resistance.
Earlier this week, Governor Katie Hobbs joined members of the Arizona Legislative Latino Caucus to reiterate their opposition to HCR 2060. The coalition wrote, “Over the past week, bipartisan organizations ranging from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce to border county law enforcement officials to immigrant rights groups have spoken up in opposition to the Republican-backed ballot referral that will kill jobs, drive away businesses, and demonize our communities of color. Yet again we join together to make it clear: this referral will not secure our border, and it will not make Arizonans safe.”
The group added, ““What it will do is prevent law enforcement from fighting violent crimes like robbery and sexual assault, cost state and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars to try and enforce this unconstitutional measure, leave a black eye on our state’s reputation, and lead to a onslaught of racial profiling. This will separate families and inflict emotional and economic damage on households and communities, especially children. And now Dreamers, who followed the process and gained a legal status, are also under fire as the measure plans for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to come to an end.”
The comments from Hobbs and her legislative allies follow a post from the Arizona Senate Republicans Caucus “X” account, which highlighted the Democrat governor’s refusal to do what was necessary to help her state secure its border and protect citizens.
Arizona legislative Republicans had expected a vote on HCR 2060 this week in the full Senate but were forced to postpone their plans due to one member of the Senate Republican Caucus being out of town (Wadsack) and one member expressing opposition to the measure as currently constructed (Bennett). A vote in the Senate chamber is still expected – maybe as soon as next week.
According to House Speaker Ben Toma, HCR 2060 would do the following (if approved by state voters):
- “The Secure the Border Act creates two new class 6 felonies for illegal aliens who try to submit false documents or information to evade Arizona’s strong E-Verify laws or obtain taxpayer-funded public benefits. It also requires state and local agencies to verify a noncitizen’s documents and eligibility for benefits through a federal database, known as the SAVE program, whenever noncitizens apply for public benefits.
- “The Secure the Border Act establishes a new class 2 felony with enhanced prison sentences for drug dealers of illicit and deadly fentanyl. Fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose deaths in Arizona, and the amount seized at the southwest border is unprecedented.
- “Finally, the Secure the Border Act incorporates legislation from Senate Bill 1231, which all House Republicans supported but Governor Hobbs vetoed, modeled on Texas Senate Bill 4, making it a crime for an illegal alien to enter or attempt to enter Arizona at any location other than a lawful point of entry.”
The efforts from Arizona legislators to send this referral to state voters comes two months after Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed SB 1231, the Arizona Border Invasion Act, which would have “ma[de] it unlawful for a person who is an alien (unlawful immigrant) to enter Arizona from a foreign nation at any location other than a lawful port of entry and outline[d] penalties for violations of illegally entering Arizona and provide[d] immunity from civil liability and indemnification for state and local government officials, employees and contractors who enforce this prohibition” – according to the purpose from the state Senate.
In her veto letter to Senate President Warren Petersen, Hobbs said, “This bill does not secure our border, will be harmful for communities and businesses in our state, and burdensome for law enforcement personnel and the state judicial system. Further, this bill presents significant constitutional concerns and would be certain to mire the State in costly and protracted litigation.”
Senator Janae Shamp, the sponsor of SB 1231, vowed that members of her party would continue to push forward solutions to combat the border crisis, saying, “The Republican-controlled Legislature will continue to prioritize closing our border and providing law enforcement with the tools they need. This veto is a slap in the face to them, Arizona’s victims of border-related crimes, and other citizens who will inevitably feel the wrath of this border invasion in one way, shape, or form at the hands of Hobbs and Biden.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.