by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 12, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
An Arizona Democrat lawmaker is working to undermine the efforts in her state and nation to enforce the rule of law when it comes to border security and immigration policy.
Last week, Arizona State Senator Analise Ortiz announced that she had introduced the “Immigrant Trust Act.” The purpose of this bill, according to Ortiz, would be “to ensure Arizona’s immigrant communities feel comfortable seeking medical assistance, reporting crimes and completing their day-to-day activities without the fear of deportation.”
In a statement, Senator Ortiz said, “Over the last year, we have seen Republican elected officials at both the state and federal level work to make our country unwelcoming to immigrants. They have pushed racist rhetoric that has caused all immigrants – documented and undocumented – to live in fear. No one should fear that living their normal, every day life could lead to deportation.”
Ortiz added, “While the Arizona Legislature does not have authority to dictate policy at the federal level, we can ensure citizen safety right here at the State Capitol. That is why I have introduced the ‘Immigrant Trust Act’ (SB 1362), which will make the distinction between state, county and municipal law enforcement and federal immigration authorities very clear.”
SB 1362 has been introduced in the face of a drastic change in federal immigration policy, which took place immediately after President Donald J. Trump took the oath of office on January 20 at noon. Since then, the president has prioritized immigration enforcement and border security, which has outraged many on the left, who have sought to protect most of those illegally in the country.
The Democrat legislator’s lengthy statement concluded with the following charge to her colleagues: “Our community is fed up. It is past time to make Arizona a fair and welcoming state where everyone is able to participate in their communities without fear. Passing the ‘Immigrant Trust Act’ is the first step toward making that a reality.”
This bill has been assigned to the Senate Military Affairs and Border Security (MABS) Committee, which is chaired by Senator David Gowan. With Republicans in firm control of the chamber, it has little chance to pass out of the committee – if it is even heard at all.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 12, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A powerful Arizona legislator is working on a proposal to end a “get-out-of-jail-free card” for his colleagues.
Late last week, State Representative Quang Nguyen announced that he had introduced HCR 2053, which “would amend the Arizona Constitution to eliminate legislative immunity for Arizona lawmakers for all traffic violations.”
In a statement that accompanied the release, Nguyen said, “Elected officials should not have special privileges that allow them to break the law without accountability. The people we serve are expected to follow traffic laws, and legislators should be no different. If a lawmaker is caught speeding, running a red light, or committing any other traffic violation, they should face the same consequences as everyone else.”
Representative Nguyen added, “No one should be above the rules of the road. Lawmakers should follow the same laws they create and enforce. We are lawmakers, not lawbreakers.”
According to the press release from Nguyen’s office, “Under current law, Article IV, Part 2, Section 6 of the Arizona Constitution grants legislators immunity from arrest in all cases except treason, felony, and breaches of the peace while the Legislature is in session.”
If passed by the Arizona House and Senate, HCR 2053 would go directly to the November 2026 General Election ballot to be considered by the state’s voters, bypassing Governor Katie Hobbs. If a majority of voters were to give approval to this resolution, the Arizona Constitution would be amended to ensure that all state legislators were not able to avail themselves of this exemption.
The Vice Mayor for the City of Surprise, Jack Hastings, gave this proposal a hearty endorsement, writing, “Thank you Quang Nguyen! Nothing is more petty than an elected official using their office to try to get out of a speeding ticket.”
Nguyen’s release revealed that this resolution would “be considered by the House in the coming weeks.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 11, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Attorney General Kris Mayes joined a secret compact with 21 other attorneys general to resist President Donald Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship.
The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project obtained the secretive agreement, dated a little over a week after Trump won reelection.
Per the agreement, the 22 attorneys general agreed to engage in collaborative legal and communicative efforts to resist Trump’s immigration enforcement initiatives, including those deemed confidential and/or privileged.
Per the agreement, all shared information would be used for the development of processes such as pre-suit investigations, litigation strategies, complaints, dispositive motions, merits briefs, and amicus briefs. The agreement prohibited third parties from accessing any of this shared information. The agreement extended its definition of shared information to include all documents, materials, information, and communications exchanged between the attorneys generals’ offices prior to the agreement.
The agreement did allow for public records access to the shared information, but required the attorneys general to give five days’ notice, minimum, to the other attorneys general about the request before it was due.
“The Parties have agreed that they have a common interest in developing potential litigation to challenge executive action related to ending or curtailing birthright citizenship,” stated the agreement.
The other attorneys general to enter the secretive agreement oversaw California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, as well as Washington, D.C.
The city and county of San Francisco, California also joined the agreement last month.
Trump issued an executive order ending birthright citizenship during his first day in office. The order extends to children born of illegal immigrant parents in the U.S. It prohibits the federal government from issuing or accepting citizenship documents from persons born under those circumstances after its effective date, which is scheduled to take place later this month.
“[T]he Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof,’” read the order.
The order flies in the face of longstanding court precedent on the matter.
That precedent led three federal judges in separate cases to block Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship. The first two occurred in Washington and Maryland, with the third occurring on Monday in New Hampshire.
Mayes joined Arizona to the case blocked in the Washington district court earlier this month. Based on the timeline of the secretive agreement and the filing of their lawsuit, it appears the case emerged directly from that agreement.
“The court’s decision to block this illegal executive order nationwide protects the basic right to birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th Amendment,” said Mayes. “I will keep fighting to protect the Constitutional rights of all Arizonans from the Trump administration’s illegal actions.”
Several of those states signed onto the secretive agreement — Washington, Oregon, and Illinois — were partnered on the lawsuit with Mayes.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 11, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A Republican lawmaker is demanding answers of Arizona’s Democrat Chief Executive over a looming financial crisis of a vital program for parents and children.
On Wednesday, State Representative David Livingston sent a letter to Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, “renewing his warning over the imminent insolvency of the state’s Developmental Disabilities (DDD) program, calling out [the governor’s] administration for its fiscal mismanagement and lack of legislative consultation.”
In a statement that accompanied the press release sharing the contents of the letter, Livingston, the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said, “This administration has made major financial commitments without consulting the Legislature, and now families are staring down the consequences of an unsustainable program. Governor Hobbs must explain why her agencies are making decisions without oversight and what her plan if this program collapses.”
Livingston added, “Under Governor Hobbs’ watch, the cost of this program has exploded from $750 million to $1.5 billion. The Legislature was blindsided by these numbers, and we need immediate answers on how the administration plans to rein in spending before Arizona families are left with nothing.”
The longtime Arizona legislator wrote in his letter, “As I continue to untangle the executive budget proposal, I am most disturbed to learn that decisions made by your departments have threatened the operations of the State’s Developmental Disabilities program. The House Appropriation Committee was briefed last week, less than two weeks after your original budget proposal, that DDD’s supplemental needs have increased from $109 million just to keep the program from ceasing operations in April. This is alarming to both the Legislature and families using this program.”
Representative Livingston noted that his committee “was briefed that cost overruns are for three primary reasons: growth in eligibility, increased rates, and the continuation of the COVID-era Parents as Paid Caregivers Program.” He highlighted that “AHCCCS not only made these decisions without consultation of the Legislature, but without consultation of DDD, the manager of the program.”
The questions Representative Livingston asked of the Governor’s Office are as follows:
- “Will your office choose the same posture this year and what is your plan when the DDD program must discontinue operations in the Spring?” (referring to the lateness of budget negotiations between the Governor and legislative Republicans)
- “Can you explain why AHCCCS makes decisions without input?”
- “I need to know as soon as possible what AHCCCS and DDD plan to do to control the spiraling costs in these programs.”
- “What oversight and controls can be implemented to relieve the pressure on these employees and ensure uniform implementation?” (referring to reports of pressure by parents on Service Coordinators to increase hours, affecting the spending within the program)
This financial crisis over DDD adds to a rocky start of the 57th Regular Session between Arizona Republican legislators and Governor Hobbs in the third year of a divided state government.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 11, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona legislative Republicans continue to prioritize the state’s wildfire mitigation efforts in anticipation of another active season this summer.
Earlier this week, the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus issued a press release to update on two wildfire mitigation-related bills that had passed out of committees in the chamber.
One of those bills was SB 1297, which “directs $6.5 million to the Department of Administration for local fire departments to implement a Fire Incident management System, provid[ing] funding to equip fire engines with state-of-the-art communications systems that will improve coordination between local fire departments, emergency responders, and state authorities.” The proposal, which was sponsored by Senator Kevin Payne, passed the National Resources, Energy & Water Committee, with an overwhelmingly bipartisan 7-1 vote (one Democrat voting in opposition – Senator Sundareshan).
The other piece of legislation was SB 1285, which “appropriates $12.5 million to the Department of Forestry and Fire Management [to be] awarded as grants to fire districts for the purchase of tactical water tenders, as well as type 3 and type 6 fire engines for wildfire response.” This bill, which was sponsored by Senator David Gowan, was approved by the Appropriations Committee with a 9-0 result (with one member not voting – Senator Epstein).
In a statement, Senator Gowan said, “With the ongoing development of lands adjacent to natural forested and desert areas, the wildfire threat is front and center for Arizona communities. I am committed to providing our first responders with the resources they need to save lives and property from wildfire tragedy.”
Senator Payne added, “While California’s government prioritized progressive political agendas like DEI over the resources needed to fight wildfires efficiently, Arizona Senate Republicans remain focused on what truly matters – protecting our communities and preparing for the annual fire season. We will continue to invest in the tools and technology necessary to ensure our firefighters have what they need so that what happened in California never happens here at home.”
Fire Chief Jake Rhoades, the President of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, also weighed in on the efforts to pass these bills, writing, “Ensuring firefighters are properly trained and equipped to respond to wildfire emergencies is a top priority for fire districts across the state. The passage of SB 1285 and SB 1297 would significantly assist our efforts, by equipping our personnel with essential firefighting apparatus needed to complete the mission.”
The bills from Senate Republicans to help combat another dangerous fire season in Arizona come at the same time House Republicans are also attempting to pass similar proposals in their chamber. In a press release issued earlier this week, State Representative Lupe Diaz highlighted that Governor Katie Hobbs’ proposed budget “offers zero funding for hazardous vegetation removal or forest thinning despite recognizing that wildland fire costs have been ‘much higher in recent years’ due to neglected forest maintenance.” Hobbs did not mention plans to address wildfire mitigation efforts in her State of the State address to the Arizona Legislature at the beginning of the 57th Regular Session last month, which stood out due to the very recent example with the destructive Los Angeles fires.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 10, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On Friday, Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh took up the charge begun by Senator Jim Banks during his time as a Representative when he asked why China Daily, a newspaper owned and paid for by the Chinese Communist Party, is delivered routinely to House and Senate offices throughout the Capitol. Hamadeh, along with 14 Republican cosponsors, has introduced House Resolution 110, which if passed in the House, would prohibit the publication from being distributed in House offices. In a press release, Hamadeh’s office explained that the measure “ensures that foreign adversaries cannot use taxpayer-funded government buildings to push propaganda under the guise of news.”
Hamadeh said in a statement, “The halls of Congress should never serve as a platform for foreign propaganda, especially from a hostile regime like the Chinese Communist Party. For years, China Daily and other CCP-backed publications have been distributed freely in House offices, giving the CCP an unchecked pipeline into our institutions. That ends now. No more free passes for the CCP in the People’s House.”
In a corresponding post to X, Hamadeh’s staff expressed his exasperation writing, “China Daily News just showed up again at our office. It takes only a few minutes of research to learn this is CCP-funded propaganda.”
“Standing up to the CCP’s influence operations is a bipartisan national security priority,” Hamadeh added in the statement. “I’m grateful to my colleagues who are joining this effort to close an open door the CCP should have never had in the first place.”
Speaking with Jan Jekielek, Senior Editor of the Epoch Times, Hamadeh emphasized the absurdity of Chinese propaganda being permitted in the halls of Congress. He suggested that the China Daily matter would be the equivalent of the Chinese Communist Party allowing Voice of America to be distributed in the Chinese National People’s Congress.
He stressed, “What does that say about us as a government? Can you imagine us putting our propaganda like Voice of America into the Communist Chinese? They would never tolerate that. And they don’t tolerate it. And yet here we are tolerating that the Communist Chinese are able influence and infiltrate in that aspect.”
In February 2020, thirty-five Republican U.S. Senators and Congressmen penned a letter to then-Attorney General William Barr calling on him to “clamp down on Chinese propaganda,” asking that China Daily be investigated and labeled as a foreign agent, according to the South China Morning Post, a Hong-Kong based publication critical of the CCP,
“China Daily’s important role in China’s foreign disinformation campaign warrants a full-fledged investigation,” they wrote in the 2020 letter, launched by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Banks which was co-signed by seven GOP senators and 26 representatives.
“We cannot allow a foreign dictatorship to use America’s legislative buildings to push their propaganda,” Hamadeh concluded in his statement. “Congress must take a firm stand against the CCP’s disinformation campaigns. This is about protecting our institutions, our national security, and the integrity of the People’s House.”
The resolution is cosponsored by fellow freshman Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) as well as, Reps. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), Darrell Issa (R-FL), Darrin LaHood (R-IL), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Greg Steube (R-FL), Dave Taylor (R-OH), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Randy Weber (R-TX) .
China Daily was emailed for comment, however no response was received by time of publication.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
