By Daniel Stefanski |
A powerful voice came out in support of the imminent push from the Arizona Legislature to send a border security-related ballot referral to the voters in the November General Election.
On Tuesday, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma issued a statement to announce his support of HCR 2060, the Secure the Border Act.
HCR 2060 was originally Toma’s vehicle and primarily dealt with the state’s E-Verify program. According to Toma in February, this referral, if passed by the voters, would “expand the use of E-Verify and cut off welfare programs to illegal aliens.”
Months later, HCR 2060 is now being utilized for a more-broad approach to the illegal immigration crisis facing the state daily. If given the green light from a majority of members in both the state House and Senate, Arizona voters would have the opportunity to vote on this referral in November.
Toma said, “I fully support the Senate’s amendment to my bill, HCR 2060. The Secure the Border Act reflects a thoughtful, comprehensive approach to combating illegal immigration, which is a top priority for the Republican majorities in the House and Senate, and a leading concern for voters of all parties.”
The House Speaker highlighted the inaction from the state’s Democrat governor to use the tools at her disposal to put up a significant fight against illegal immigration – or to work with Republicans at the Legislature in good faith, writing, “It’s been incredibly disappointing that Governor Katie Hobbs has repeatedly vetoed well-crafted bills passed by the Legislature, designed to secure our southern border and protect Arizonans. The Democrats’ deliberate open-border policies have inflicted devastating, long-lasting harm to Arizona’s communities. People have had enough, and it’s time for their voices to be heard.”
He explained the various components of the proposed referral:
- “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.”
Earlier this spring, a group of legislative Republicans signed a letter to request that House Speaker Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen “convene a special committee hearing, whereby Texas-style border security legislation can be promptly advanced and placed on the ballot.”
Last week, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen announced that legislators would soon be passing HCR 2060 by “adopt[ing] a strike everything amendment,” giving them the legislative vehicle to consider and pass the ballot referral for the November General Election.
Petersen said, “Republicans are committed to securing the border and returning sanity to our state after the chaos Democrats have willfully perpetuated with our current Governor leading the charge.”
Legislative action is expected this week on HCR 2060.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
