Democratic congressional nominee Amish Shah’s campaign reported financial support from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) PAC. HRC opposed the same restrictions on gender transition surgeries for minors and girls’ sports participation in Arizona that Shah voted against as a state lawmaker.
Shah’s campaign disclosed two in-kind contributions totaling $152.66. The entries list a $50 press release contribution dated Aug. 21 and $102.66 in signage dated Sept. 18. The contributions provided campaign materials and services.
The press release entry coincided with HRC PAC’s endorsement of Shah for Arizona’s First Congressional District. In announcing its endorsement, the organization described the race as important to securing a congressional majority supporting its policy priorities.
“The Human Rights Campaign is proud to endorse [Amish Shah’s] candidacy and to work to get him elected this November,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said.
Arizonans, you deserve a champion who will address the real issues — let’s send Dr. Amish Shah to Congress and help secure a pro-equality majority!
— Human Rights Campaign Rapid Response (@HRC) August 21, 2026
The endorsement announcement’s disclaimer identifies Human Rights Campaign PAC as paying for the communication and states that Amish for Arizona authorized it.
Shah responded to the endorsement in a statement describing himself as “a longtime ally of Arizona’s LGBTQ+ community” and saying he was “proud to fight for the community in my time in the State House.”
The endorsement and reported contributions have drawn criticism from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which pointed to Shah’s votes on legislation involving minors’ surgeries, school athletics, and restroom access.
“Arizona families don’t agree with Socialist Amish Shah’s extreme views like backing child transgender sex change surgeries or men in women’s sports. But that’s exactly the far-left agenda Socialist Shah would pursue in Washington if elected,” NRCC spokesman Ben Petersen said.
Shah voted against Senate Bill 1138, which prohibited physicians from providing specified irreversible gender reassignment surgeries to patients younger than 18. The House passed the measure 31–26 on March 24, 2022, and then-Gov. Doug Ducey signed it March 30.
The law’s definition includes mastectomies, breast augmentation, and specified genital procedures performed for gender transition. It preserves exceptions involving certain disorders of sex development, treatment of complications from previous procedures, and physical conditions requiring surgery to prevent imminent death or impairment of a major bodily function. Its prohibition addresses surgical procedures.
HRC urged Ducey to veto SB 1138, arguing that lawmakers were interfering with healthcare decisions involving transgender children and their families.
“It is simply not the job of legislators to make healthcare decisions for the families who this legislation will directly impact,” HRC Arizona State Director Bridget Sharpe said.
The same statement opposed Senate Bill 1165, the Save Women’s Sports Act, which Shah also voted against. That legislation required covered school athletic teams to be designated according to biological sex and prohibited students of the male sex from participating on teams designated for females, women, or girls.
The sports measure covered public schools and private schools competing against them, including institutions of higher education. It permitted female students to participate on teams designated for males and preserved coeducational competition. The House approved it 31–24, with five members not voting, on March 24, 2022.
After Ducey signed both bills March 30, HRC issued a statement condemning his decision, expressly identifying the surgery and sports restrictions.
Shah had previously opposed House Bill 2706, a 2020 proposal restricting participation on female school athletic teams based on biological sex. The House passed that bill 31–29, with all Democrats voting against it. The measure subsequently stalled in the Senate Rules Committee and never received a Senate floor vote.
His voting record also includes opposition to Senate Bill 1040, a 2023 proposal governing public school restrooms, changing facilities, and sleeping accommodations.
The bill would have required reasonable accommodations for people unwilling or unable to use facilities designated for their sex. Possible accommodations included single-occupancy or employee facilities. The proposal excluded accommodations allowing access to opposite-sex restrooms or changing facilities when others were or could be present. It also would have authorized lawsuits under specified circumstances involving access to facilities designated for the opposite sex.
Shah voted against the measure when the House passed it 31–27 on May 15, 2023. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed it June 8.
Shah faces Republican nominee Jay Feely in Arizona’s First Congressional District.
Pima County voters will decide on Election Day in November whether to increase the spending cap by 75%, from $817 million to more than $1.4 billion.
Proposition 425 would increase the county’s permanent base, or expenditure, limit that aids in calculating the county’s spending limit under state law.
Arizona law requires all counties, cities, and towns to limit how much local revenue may be spent. Counties and municipalities calculate expenditure limits by multiplying the amount spent in fiscal year 1979-80 by the estimated growth in population and a measure of inflation.
The county spent $1.8 billion and accrued a revenue of $2.1 billion in fiscal year 2026-2027. Estimates from the county show that it has utilized at or near 100% of its expenditure limit since 2001.
The county FAQ page states that the approval of Proposition 425 would add $70 million to its 1979-80 expenditure base. As noted by Scott Day Freeman, an attorney with the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix-based public policy and litigation firm, the $70 million was based on 1980 dollars rather than 2026 dollars.
According to the ballot language, the $70 million is actually more than $610 million when adjusting each future year for population and inflation growth since 1980.
In the proposition, the county stated that it doesn’t anticipate approaching full utilization of the increased expenditure limit for another 20 years at least.
Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott told KOLD that the county will continue to run out its expenditure limit in the years to come. Scott said that the expenditure limit by design has failed to keep up with modern budgeting needs.
“What we know from looking at our own expenditure and revenue projections is that we’re going to bump up against that expenditure limit in the next two to three years,” said Scott.
The county also stated that the spending cap increase would not authorize any new tax or raise any existing tax, and would be allowing the county to spend existent revenue that it cannot legally touch.
Pima County Supervisor Steve Christy toldThe Center Square that he had concerns with how the board plans to spend the money, which he called a “blank check,” if the proposition is approved. Christy said he believes the board has failed to target spending on “core foundational matters,” citing infrastructure, road repair, public transportation, and public safety.
“They want to have the ability and flexibility to spend more money by removing these cap restrictions,” said Christy.
Some citizens believe the county’s ask is too great.
A coalition of these citizens formed the bipartisan “No on Prop 425” campaign to try to dissuade voters from approving an expenditure limit increase. The campaign’s co-chairs, State Sen. Sally Gonzales (LD-20), a Democrat, and Jay Tolkhoff, a former Republican candidate for Tucson City Council, believe the spending cap increase is too large.
Despite what the county promised, Tolkhoff said he worries the increase would eventually cause property taxes to be raised.
“They can say, you know, no taxes,” said Tolkhoff. “You start spending more money; that money’s going to come from some place, and it’s going to come from higher property taxes.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Federal prosecutors in Arizona filed immigration-related criminal charges against 279 individuals during a weeklong enforcement operation targeting illegal entry, unlawful reentry, and human smuggling along the southern border.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, the charges were filed between October 10 and October 16, 2026, as part of ongoing federal efforts to combat illegal immigration and human smuggling throughout the state.
During the enforcement period, prosecutors filed 136 cases involving individuals accused of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed, along with charges against 123 individuals accused of illegally entering the country.
Federal authorities also filed 17 cases against 20 individuals accused of smuggling illegal immigrants into and throughout Arizona.
The cases were referred or supported by several federal law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Among the notable cases highlighted by federal prosecutors were charges filed October 13 against Jesus Manuel Calixtro-Rodriguez and Julio Cesar Ramos-Mendez, who were accused of conspiring to transport illegal immigrants for profit.
According to the criminal complaint, Border Patrol surveillance cameras observed Calixtro-Rodriguez driving a Dodge Ram along Federal Route 15 on the Tohono O’odham Nation on October 10. Authorities reported that he stopped near a location known for human smuggling pickups, where several individuals entered the vehicle.
When Border Patrol agents attempted to conduct an immigration inspection, Calixtro-Rodriguez allegedly refused to stop, prompting agents to deploy a tire deflation device.
The vehicle’s occupants fled on foot, but agents apprehended Calixtro-Rodriguez and three passengers, including Ramos-Mendez. Authorities determined that the passengers were Mexican nationals unlawfully present in the United States.
Investigators identified Ramos-Mendez as the group’s foot guide and discovered that he had previously been removed from the country without authorization to return. He was additionally charged with illegal reentry.
In a separate case, Christopher Paul Lopez was charged on October 9 with transporting an illegal immigrant following an October 8 traffic stop along Interstate 10.
According to federal prosecutors, an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper discovered Lopez lying in the rear of a Land Rover and subsequently recovered a loaded Glock 19 handgun from a bag inside the vehicle.
Following further questioning, authorities suspected that Lopez and the driver were involved in human smuggling. Border Patrol agents later determined that the driver was a Mexican national unlawfully present in the United States and learned that Lopez had allegedly been paid to accompany the driver from Tucson to Phoenix.
Another case involved Jose Avendano-Soto, who was charged on October 13 with transporting an illegal immigrant after Border Patrol agents observed a group crossing the U.S.-Mexico border wall using a rope ladder.
According to the criminal complaint, seven individuals exited an SUV near the border wall on October 8. Five crossed into the United States, while two remained behind to conceal the group’s footprints before returning to Mexico.
Agents later located the five individuals hiding in vegetation while wearing camouflage clothing. Four were identified as Guatemalan nationals and one as a Mexican national, all unlawfully present in the United States.
Investigators identified Avendano-Soto as the group’s foot guide, responsible for leading the individuals across the border.
The cases reflect ongoing federal efforts to prosecute illegal border crossings, unlawful reentry, and human smuggling operations throughout Arizona.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief was in Phoenix on Friday to oversee deportation flights for what the agency said were “dangerous illegal aliens.”
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin oversaw the deportation flights headed for Mexico. Among the deportees were illegal aliens identified as pedophiles, violent assailants, drug traffickers, drunk drivers, burglars, and gang members.
DHS quoted Mullin in a press release as saying that these latest deportation flights out of Phoenix are part of this administration’s continued promise to mass deport illegal aliens.
“The American people voted for mass deportations, and that’s exactly what we’re giving them. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are removing dangerous illegals like these from our communities and from our country every single day,” said Mullin. “We will not stop until we have deported as many illegals as possible, so that we can make America safe again.”
Friday’s deportees included:
Jaime Velasquez Orozco, convicted in the past of child sexual abuse, attempted rape, domestic abuse, burglary, battery, driving under the influence, hit-and-run, and drug possession.
Jiovany Baray-Acosta, convicted in the past of driving under the influence with a minor in the car, drug possession, illegal weapon possession, and kidnapping.
Noe Ochoa Torres, convicted in the past of child abuse, sexual assault of a child, and drug possession.
Luis Antonio Vasquez Encinas, convicted in the past of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor under 15.
German Garcia-Ordonez, convicted in the past of assault and battery in the presence of a minor.
Filiberto Preciado-Gamboa, a gang member convicted in the past of domestic abuse, drug possession, and shoplifting.
Jose Cruz Estrada, convicted in the past of domestic abuse, terroristic threats, driving while intoxicated, and evading arrest.
Rolando Carbajal Villegas, convicted in the past of driving while intoxicated and assault.
Octavio Felipe-Olivera, convicted in the past of driving under the influence and disturbing the peace.
DHS reported last December that more than 2.5 million illegal aliens have left the country since Trump took office in January of last year. Of those exits, more than 600,000 were reportedly formal deportations and approximately 1.9 million were voluntary self-deportations.
Approximately 10 million illegal aliens reside within the country.
DHS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also announced on Friday that the preliminary data for this fiscal year indicate a 95% drop in southwest border apprehensions compared to the last administration, along with what they allege to be the “lowest annual encounters in American history and the first-ever fiscal year with zero Border Patrol releases.”
According to CBP, encounters of illegal aliens along the southwest border have dropped from an average 177,000 encounters per month during the final year of President Joe Biden’s administration to about 11,000 encounters per month under President Donald Trump.
In CBP’s 2026 fiscal year — which runs from October 2025 through September 2026 — there have been just over 128,000 encounters. Under Trump’s first month in office, monthly encounters dropped by about 20%.
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Members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors are publicly airing their grievances against Recorder Justin Heap for notifying federal authorities about election work that took place late one night last week.
Heap’s office immediately contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after learning about a viral post about ballot tabulation center livestream footage in which two county employees were seen working alone after-hours in the facility from about 9 to 11 p.m. on October 7.
In the footage, the employees can be seen inserting flash drives into computers.
🚨BUSTED: Exclusive Video of Maricopa County BOS employees (toddler in tow) in highly secure Ballot Tabulation Center at 10:30pm inserting flash drives into computers (Post L&A) during an active election obtained by our source! Additional video obtained shows 3 hours of activity… pic.twitter.com/EqoOzQR9TY
— We the People USA Alliance (@WethePeopleAZA1) October 9, 2026
The FBI confirmed it investigated Heap’s complaint and found no evidence of wrongdoing.
A week later, on Wednesday, Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko responded to the viral footage with a joint statement denying that the election workers had performed unauthorized work, and said that it wasn’t unusual for employees to work outside traditional business hours in the weeks preceding and following an election.
McGee and Lesko explained that the employees updated software on the ballot duplication system and uploaded election data files to a computer terminal not connected to the internet or ballot tabulation equipment.
After issuing that statement, Brophy McGee spoke with media outlets to criticize Heap for contacting federal authorities.
“Public employees who work in elections already face public threats and intimidation, but it is disgusting that Recorder Heap and his team would add to this climate of fear by referring to the FBI our hardworking county employees who were simply doing their jobs,” said Brophy McGee.
Judy Keane, Heap’s spokeswoman, said the recorder has a duty to request an investigation into any suspicious activity involving elections.
“Suspicious activity occurring within logic and accuracy tested facilities late at night should always be investigated by those with the power to do so. Any notion that it shouldn’t is irresponsible and fails to maintain the highest of standards for Arizona elections,” said Keane.
Supervisor Thomas Galvin called Heap “inept” for notifying authorities of his concerns, and accused him of being a “puppet” of Shelby Busch, the local grassroots activist with We the People AZ who contacted Heap’s office with concerns about the livestream footage. Lesko accused the recorder’s office of attacking “innocent election workers.” Galvin also implied there would be repercussions for those who assisted Heap with contacting the FBI.
“Heap worked w[ith] bad grifting hombres to target one of the BOS’ employees. If any other public official enabled Heap’s latest circus act then there’s Hell to pay,” said Galvin.
Sam Stone, Heap’s chief of staff, later posted on X to reveal that he called the FBI and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office about the after-hours work. Stone said that it was important for public trust in elections to seek an assessment from an official third party, rather than insisting the public rely on the county’s word.
“Did I think anything nefarious was at play in this situation? No,” said Stone. “[But] when questions about potentially fraudulent activity in an election come to light the proper reaction is not for the organization at hand to clear themselves, but to bring in an appropriate outside investigative agency to do it.”
Galvin called Stone “one of the amoral amoebas” within Heap’s office and accused him of “spinning [his] latest stunt.” Stone, in return, accused Galvin of lying.
“[Y]our ‘proof’ there was no wrongdoing in this case is the word of the same team that created the controversy,” said Stone. “You are a crap lawyer, a liar, and unfit for public office.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Federal interest payments could consume more than half of federal tax revenue by 2036, as rising borrowing costs and mounting national debt threaten the nation’s long-term fiscal stability, according to a new report from Congress’ Joint Economic Committee (JEC).
The report, titled Federal Interest Spending Could Now Exceed Half of Available Tax Receipts in Ten Years, warns that higher interest rates could significantly increase the federal government’s debt-servicing costs, placing additional pressure on the federal budget over the next decade.
According to the JEC, net interest payments could account for 55.4% of federal receipts excluding payroll taxes by 2036 under a higher-interest-rate scenario, compared to 38.1% under the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) baseline projections.
The findings come as the national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, with approximately $32.4 trillion held by the public at the end of fiscal year 2026.
Interest payments could consume 55 percent of federal receipts excluding payroll taxes by 2036.Under CBO's higher-rate scenario, net interest spending would reach 55.4 percent of available tax receipts by 2036, compared with 38.1 percent under CBO's baseline projection. Even…
— Joint Economic Committee Republicans (@JECRepublicans) October 15, 2026
“We are rapidly approaching a fiscal reality where more than half of federal receipts outside of payroll taxes could go toward servicing our debt by 2036,” stated JEC Chairman and Arizona Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ-01).
“Under this higher interest rate scenario, we could spend $23 trillion on interest alone over the next decade. That is spending not on Social Security, not on Medicare, not on national defense, but simply paying for yesterday’s borrowing,” Schweikert added.
According to the JEC, the yield on 10-year Treasury notes increased from approximately 4.2% in February to 5.2% on October 1, 2026. The increase reflects higher federal borrowing costs, raising concerns that interest rates could remain above earlier projections and place additional pressure on the federal budget.
The report draws on a recent CBO analysis examining how higher interest rates could affect federal deficits, debt, and borrowing costs between 2026 and 2036.
Under a scenario in which interest rates remain 1.5 percentage points above the CBO’s February 2026 baseline projections, cumulative federal deficits would increase by approximately $6 trillion over the next decade.
Even under a less severe scenario in which interest rates remain 0.5 percentage points above the CBO’s baseline projections, cumulative federal deficits would increase by approximately $1.9 trillion through 2036, highlighting the federal government’s growing sensitivity to borrowing costs.
Of the projected $6 trillion increase under the higher-rate scenario, approximately $4.9 trillion would result directly from higher interest costs, while an additional $1.1 trillion would come from borrowing needed to finance those increased payments.
The JEC estimates that total net interest spending could reach $23.2 trillion through 2036 under the higher-rate scenario, compared to approximately $17.2 trillion under the CBO’s baseline projections.
The report also highlights the federal government’s exposure to rising borrowing costs as existing debt matures. Approximately $10 trillion in marketable Treasury debt is expected to mature within the next year, potentially requiring refinancing at higher interest rates.
Under the higher-rate scenario, annual federal interest spending would grow by an average of 10.8% over the next decade, significantly exceeding projected annual economic growth of 3.9%.
“When interest costs are growing nearly three times faster than the economy, the math becomes impossible to ignore,” stated Schweikert. “Every dollar we borrow makes us more vulnerable to higher interest rates and leaves fewer resources for everything else. We are approaching a debt spiral that could become mathematically impossible to escape and the window to avert a full-blown fiscal crisis is rapidly closing.”
The CBO further estimates that debt held by the public could reach 133.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2036 under the higher-rate scenario, compared to 120.2% under its baseline projections.
The JEC warned that without significant reductions in federal spending, rising interest obligations could leave Congress facing increasingly difficult decisions involving higher taxes, reduced government spending, or additional borrowing to meet existing financial obligations.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
