Illegal Immigrant Children Released Into Arizona In 2023 Would Cost $10 Million To Educate

Illegal Immigrant Children Released Into Arizona In 2023 Would Cost $10 Million To Educate

By Corinne Murdock |

There were over 800 illegal immigrant children released to sponsors in Arizona in the last fiscal year, which would result in an estimated cost of over $10 million to educate them.

This estimate comes from Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) data, in which average per-pupil spending in 2022 derived from state, local, and federal funding, adjusted for inflation, was over $11,700. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) reported that there were 861 unaccompanied children released to sponsors in the 2023 fiscal year, which runs from October 2022 to September 2023. Altogether, that amounts to over $10 million. 

Per the latest immigration data, another 368 unaccompanied children were released to sponsors from last October to December. JLBC estimated per-pupil spending last year, adjusted for inflation, to sit at about $12,000, and spending in 2024 to sit at about $11,700. 

Since the 2021 fiscal year, there have been over 2,600 illegal immigrant children released to sponsors. That’s about 1,000 more in four years than the entire total for the six years spanning the 2015 fiscal year to the 2020 fiscal year (just over 1,700).

Under 2022 costs, that amounts to over $28.6 million. The estimated 2023 costs, adjusted for inflation, amounts to over $31.2 million, with a return to about $28.6 million under 2024 estimated costs.

Nationwide, there were about 113,500 illegal immigrant children released to sponsors in the last fiscal year. That’s a decline from the 2022 fiscal year, about 127,500, but remains a significant increase from all other years prior. 

In the first four months of this fiscal year, there have been about 46,300 unaccompanied minors encountered along the southwest border. Border encounter data reveals that there have been over 468,180 unaccompanied minors since President Joe Biden took office. 

Encounter totals for accompanied minors register far lower. There have been just over 500 encounters of accompanied minors in the first four months of this fiscal year, and over 7,800 in total since Biden took office. 

These latest estimates are just a portion of total migrant children in the education system, and consist of only those reported. In 2022, there were over 90,000 students characterized as English Language Learners (ELLs) in Arizona. Using 2022 education costs, that amounts to over $1 billion. 

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Arizona Republic Bled Subscribers, As Did Its Sister Companies Under Gannett

Arizona Republic Bled Subscribers, As Did Its Sister Companies Under Gannett

By Corinne Murdock |

The Arizona Republic bled over 25,700 subscriptions from 2022 to 2023, in line with an overall trend from its major sister companies across the nation. Daily, Sunday, and digital-only subscriptions totaled about 184,700 last year, compared to over 210,400 in 2022.

The losses were reported by the outlet’s parent company and nation’s largest newspaper publisher, Gannett Company, in their latest annual report released this week. Total subscriptions for Gannett’s 20 major publications dropped by over 200,700: from about 2.2 million to over 1.9 million.

The Republic had about 48,300 daily subscriptions last year compared to over 56,800 daily subscriptions in 2022; about 70,500 Sunday subscriptions last year compared to over 83,600 in 2022; and 65,946 digital only subscriptions last year compared to 69,956 digital only subscriptions in 2022. 

Evidently, the lowest losses occurred with digital-only subscriptions. Gannett noted later on in its annual report that growth of digital-only subscriptions remains its best bet for gaining readership. 

“To continue growing and accelerating our digital-only subscription base, we intend to capitalize on our large organic audience and leverage data to understand our users’ interests and curate an experience that will drive engagement and loyalty,” said Gannett. “We continue to believe we have significant opportunity to grow paid digital-only subscriptions in the future as we expand our content and our product offerings.”

Gannett also reported having less than half the workforce it boasted prior to its merger with GateHouse in 2019. As reported in 2022, the company initiated mass layoffs following multiple poor quarterly performances.

Per this latest report, the media giant has about 10,000 employees, compared to over 21,200 employees leading up to 2019. Downsizing is likely to continue: Gannett disclosed that it planned to continue doing so. 

“We believe we are able to reduce future capital expenditure needs by having fewer overall pressrooms and buildings,” said Gannett. “By clustering our production resources, utilizing excess capacity for commercial work, or outsourcing where cost-beneficial, we seek to reduce the operating costs of our publications while increasing the quality of our small and mid-size market publications that would typically not otherwise have access to high quality production facilities.”

These layoffs were a double-edged sword, according to Gannett. The lack of talent has put a limit on their papers’ abilities to conduct solid enough operations to yield profitability.  

Poor performance and the struggles resulting from forced layoffs don’t seem to be the only issue for Gannett. The company noted that the current state of the economy has forced the company to divert cash flow from operations into pension plan contributions, and that health and welfare benefits have increased significantly in cost. 

Gannett also noted concern over the unionization of its workforce, remarking on the unknowns of labor costs, productivity, and flexibility that may result from labor disputes. 

Gannett agreed to its first union contract with The Republic journalists last month, a process four years in the making. The agreement raised all reporter wages, with a guaranteed start minimum of $50,000 and pay increases averaging 13 percent for the two-year contract. 

Gannett’s other Arizona subsidiaries — not named among its major publications — are Phoenix Newspapers (The Arizona Republic), Arizona News Service (produces Arizona Capitol Times and Yellow Sheet Report), and TNI Partners (produces Arizona Daily Star and the defunct Tucson Citizen). 

Gannett also reported the following Arizona-based subsidiaries: Citizen Publishing Company, FoodBlogs, Sedona Publishing Company, and Thanksgiving Ventures.

Gannett reported owning and/or operating 21 production facilities producing an average of 16 publications; in addition to Arizona, each of the following states have one production facility: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. 

Correct: A previous version of this story listed The Republic’s digital only subscriptions at 65,956 for 2022. The Republic’s digital only subscriptions for 2022 were 69,956, and the story has been corrected.

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Arizona District Court Strikes Down Parts Of Proof Of Citizenship Voter Laws

Arizona District Court Strikes Down Parts Of Proof Of Citizenship Voter Laws

By Corinne Murdock |

On Thursday, the Arizona District Court struck down provisions of two laws requiring proof of citizenship for voters. 

In the 109-page order for Mi Familia Vota v. Fontes, Judge Susan Bolton ruled that several proof of citizenship provisions within HB2492 and HB2243, “Voting Laws,” violated federal laws pertaining to voting rights. The overturned provisions concerned birthplace requirement disclosures for voter registrations, county recorders investigating voters based on a “reason to believe” someone is a noncitizen, and disclosure of residence in order to register for federal elections.

There are over 19,000 federal-only voters who haven’t submitted proof of citizenship. 

“The Court finds that though it may occur, non-citizens voting in Arizona is quite rare, and non-citizen voter fraud in Arizona is rarer still,” stated Bolton. “But while the Voting Laws are not likely to meaningfully reduce possible non-citizen voting in Arizona, they could help to prevent non-citizens from registering or voting.”

Bolton ruled that HB2492 violated the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act because its requirement of proof of birthplace for voter registration was immaterial in determining eligibility to vote. Bolton said that since the provision wasn’t retroactive it wouldn’t apply to the approximately one-third of active voter registrations lacking birthplace.

“That Arizona has determined these voters are qualified to vote notwithstanding the lack of any meaningful birthplace information strongly indicates birthplace is immaterial,” said Bolton. 

HB2243’s directive for county recorders to deny voters based on a “reason to believe” that the voter may be a noncitizen violates the Different Practices Provision, Bolton ruled. The judge said the provision would unfairly subject naturalized citizens to citizenship database checks, and not native-born citizens. 

Bolton also ruled that the state couldn’t require individuals registering using federal-only forms to provide documentary proof of residence (DPOR). Bolton determined that the voting laws requiring attestation of residency was sufficient to determine eligibility. 

“Because the Voting Laws require a State Form to include DPOR, the State Form is not ‘equivalent’ to the Federal Form,” said Bolton. “Arizona may not reject State Forms lacking DPOR and must register these applicants as Federal-Only Voters.”

However, Bolton ruled HB2243’s requirement of county recorders to investigate federal-only voters’ citizenship statuses doesn’t violate federal voting law, since the state doesn’t require individuals to submit additional information beyond the federal registration form. Bolton noted that overturning such investigatory efforts would leave states without the ability to discover proof of citizenship.

“Arizona must accept the Federal Form as prima facie proof of an applicant’s eligibility to vote but the NVRA does not preclude Arizona from independently determining that an applicant or voter is ineligible,” said Bolton. “Were the Court to embrace Plaintiffs’ theory that section 6 prohibited a county recorder from requesting information not contained on the Federal Form after confirming non-citizenship, Arizona seems left with no apparent means to request proof of eligibility before cancelling [sic] a registration.”

Bolton further ruled that the county recorders could use federal and state databases to review citizenship information.

Court proceedings revealed that county recorders haven’t submitted to the attorney general a list of all registered voters who haven’t provided documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) by Oct. 31, 2022 as required by HB2492. Therefore, the attorney general hasn’t investigated the citizenship status of any dubious registered voters. 

Contrary to the claims of Democratic lawmakers and activists, Bolton said that neither of the proof of citizenship laws were enacted with the intent of purposeful discrimination. 

“The legislative record lacks any indicia of a nefarious motive,” said Bolton. “And despite [witnesses’] account of Arizona’s history of discrimination, neither expert articulated a persuasive factual nexus between this history and the Fifty-Fifth Legislature’s enactment of the Voting Laws.”

Bolton also ruled that the voting laws primarily imposed burdens on county recorders and the attorney general, not voters. 

“The Voting Laws’ ongoing database checks, investigations by the Attorney General, and potential rejection or cancellation of a voter’s registration are not burdens, but merely the consequences of not providing DPOC,” said Bolton. “Considering the evidence as a whole, the Court concludes that Arizona’s interests in preventing non-citizens from voting and promoting public confidence in Arizona’s elections outweighs the limited burden voters might encounter when required to provide DPOC.”

Bolton indicated that she was open to weighing the socioeconomic burdens for certain individuals — especially those considered marginalized — but that the Democratic parties and activist groups hadn’t presented any witnesses or evidence to prove that the voting laws would impede qualified voters from registering to vote or remaining on the voter rolls. Specifically, they didn’t estimate the quantity or demographics of those federal-only voters who lacked DPOC. 

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Gov. Hobbs Used Transportation Department’s Drone To Film Pride Flags

Gov. Hobbs Used Transportation Department’s Drone To Film Pride Flags

By Corinne Murdock |

Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office used the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) drone to film the Pride flags on the Executive Tower last June.

AZ Free News is only now reporting on these facts because it took nearly nine months for the governor’s office to respond to our public records request.

Public records revealed that ADOT’s lead drone pilot captured at least 15 clips — over 21 minutes of raw footage — of the Pride flags hanging on Hobbs’ office. The displayed flags were the version of the rainbow Pride flag known as the “Progress Pride” flag, due to their inclusion of white, pink, and blue to represent transgenderism, and black and brown to represent both non-white individuals and those who died from HIV/AIDS.

The display was the first of the kind by the governor’s office. Hobbs previously hung a mainstream Pride flag while secretary of state in 2019, but legislative leadership removed it after several hours. Hobbs revealed the Pride flags on the first day of Pride Month.

“Kicking off pride month leaving no room for doubt that in Arizona, we celebrate the light and energy the LGBTQ+ community brings to our state,” said Hobbs. 

ADOT drones are intended for inspections and surveying work on state infrastructure, such as highways and bridges. They were acquired about six years ago through a combination of state and federal funding.

ADOT received much of its drone fleet through a Federal Highway Administration-sponsored Arizona Council for Transportation Innovation program in 2018. At the time, the drones cost $18,100 in federal funds and over $4,500 in matching state funds. 

According to public salary data from 2022, ADOT’s lead drone pilot makes over $79,200 a year: an average of $41 an hour on a 40-hour workweek. Drone piloting also requires certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which generally costs around $200. 

As part of the display, public records documented how Hobbs invited guests to watch her unfurl the flags from the balcony and stand with her on the ground floor to admire the flags from below. Hobbs then hosted an hour-long “Pride Roundtable” with those guests.

Among those present at the roundtable were advocates of transitioning children’s genders, including those with personal experience like Lizette Trujillo. She was accompanied by her daughter, 15-year-old Danny, who identifies as a boy.

Other advocates present included two men identifying as women: Gaelle Esposito, lobbyist with Creosote Partners, and Jeanne Woodbury, interim executive director for Equality Arizona.

Additional public record requests revealed that the governor’s office sourced the flags from Phoenix Pride, the LGBTQ+ activist organization behind the annual Pride Festival. The organization reached out to the governor’s office last Easter. 

Last year’s Pride Festival drew controversy for including overtly sexual displays such as genitalia and fetish costumes, nudity, and condom bars. Conversely, Hobbs’ takeaway from the festival last year was that the LGBTQ+ community was one of love and light.

Hobbs identified LGBTQ+ policies as her main priorities throughout her gubernatorial campaign. Her first executive order prohibited gender identity discrimination in state employment and contracts; however, Hobbs campaigned on taking anti-discrimination protections even further.

The governor promised to enact protections similar to those in Civil Rights laws: bans on LGBTQ+ discrimination in housing, education, adoptions, foster care, insurance, public accommodations, and credit procurement, as well as a ban on law enforcement profiling based on gender identity and sexual orientation. 

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Scottsdale Lawmaker Urges Senate To Kill Bill Allowing Export Of Valley’s Emergency Water

Scottsdale Lawmaker Urges Senate To Kill Bill Allowing Export Of Valley’s Emergency Water

By Corinne Murdock |

State Rep. Alex Kolodin (R-LD03) is urging the Arizona Senate to do away with a bill allowing the export of the Valley’s emergency water reserve.

The bill, HB2201 sponsored by State Rep. Tim Dunn (R-LD25), passed the House with bipartisan support, 33-23, on Monday. Kolodin said that such a measure would inevitably raise utility bills. 

“HB2201 allows part of Scottsdale’s emergency water supply to be transferred to out-of-county users, raising our utility bills,” said Kolodin. “I voted no. Needs to die in the Senate!” 

Kolodin told AZ Free News that HB2201 will serve as a detriment to suburban ratepayers and force cities to compete for the dwindling supply.

HB2201 enables the interbasin transport of cities’ emergency groundwater supply from within the Harquahala Irrigation Non-expansion Area (INA) to any location within La Paz County. Dunn explained during last month’s hearing on the matter in the Natural Resources, Energy, & Water Committee that the bill would allow La Paz County to grow their existing water resources.

The Harquahala INA covers approximately 766 square miles within La Paz and Maricopa counties in the west-central portion of the state. Currently, Harquahala INA water supply may only be withdrawn and transported by the state and political subdivisions to the following initial Active Management Areas (AMAs): Phoenix, Tucson, Santa Cruz, Pinal, and Prescott. 

AMAs rely heavily on mined groundwater and therefore come with higher levels of management than INAs. INAs regulate wells in rural farming areas where groundwater overdraft — the removal of too much water — is less severe. There are two other INAs in the state: Hualapai Valley and Joseph City. 

These distinctions are outlined by Arizona’s Groundwater Management Act (GMA), passed over 40 years ago, which restricts interbasin water transportation for the state’s 51 groundwater basins in order to ensure AMAs maintain a 100-year water supply, also known as an assured water supply.

Healthy interbasin water transport hinges on a concept known as safe-yield: ensuring a safe balance between groundwater withdrawals and the natural and artificial recharging of water to AMA aquifers. Overdrafting can damage aquifer structure and limit future water storing capacity, increase the costs of drilling and pumping, and reduce the water quality.

Harquahala INA is considered an emergency savings account of sorts for water, saved in the event of prolonged drought: no groundwater has been transported out of the basin since 1990, according to the latest report from the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), the authority on water management. Yet, ADWR also reported that in almost all years from 2004-2022, the Harquahala INA had more water leaving the basin than entering mainly due to agriculture, which have made up 98 percent of the INA’s demand.

ADWR projected that annual supply would be insufficient for annual demand under any projected scenario over the next 50 years. 

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.