by Ethan Faverino | Feb 3, 2026 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
According to the Joint Economic Committee, the United States recorded a total trade deficit of $56.82 billion in November 2025. This figure represented a substantial monthly increase of $27.62 billion from the revised October level, reflecting a sharp widening in the shortfall.
Despite the month-over-month surge, the November deficit stood 27% below the 12-month average, indicating that the broader trend continued to show improvement relative to recent periods.
The rise in the overall deficit was driven largely by developments in goods trade, where the shortfall expanded significantly. The goods trade deficit reached $86.90 billion in November, up $27.92 billion from October, and remained 18% below the 12- month average.
In contrast, the services sector provided a counterbalance, posting a surplus of $30.08 billion. This service surplus rose modestly by $298 million from the previous month and stood 7% above the 12-month average.
Total exports for November declined to $292.05 billion, down $10.87 billion from October, though the figure remained 3% above the 12-month average. Goods exports fell to $185.64 billion, reflecting a decrease of $11.10 billion month-over-month, while services exports edged higher to $106.41 billion, up $237 million.
On the import side, total imports climbed to $348.88 billion, an increase of $16.75 billion from October, yet levels are still 4% below the 12-month average. Goods imports rose to $272.54 billion, up $16.81 billion, while services imports dipped slightly to $76.34 billion, down $61 million.
Compared with November 2024, the November 2025 trade deficit showed improvement, narrowing by 28.75% to $79.75 billion. Exports grew 5.88% year-over-year, while imports declined 1.89% over the same period.
Over the rolling 12 months through November 2025, the cumulative total trade deficit stood at $936.45 billion. This reflected a goods trade deficit of $1.27 trillion, partially offset by a services surplus of $335.80 billion. Total exports during this period reached $3.42 trillion, with goods accounting for $2.19 trillion and services $1.23 trillion. Total imports amounted to $4.35 trillion, including $3.46 trillion in goods and $892.72 billion in services.
Among major trading partners, the largest goods trade deficits over the 12-month period occurred with China, with net exports of -$214.61 billion (representing 17.12% of the total goods deficit), Mexico at -$197.36 billion (15.74%), and Vietnam at -$171.62 billion (13.69%).
The U.S. recorded its largest goods trade surpluses with the Netherlands ($59.99 billion), the United Kingdom ($30.39 billion), and Hong Kong ($26.89 billion).
The leading export destinations were Mexico ($334.37 billion), Canada ($331.25 billion), and China ($110.22 billion), which together counted for 35.84% of total U.S. exports. Oppositely, the top sources were Mexico ($531.73 billion), Canada ($386.75 billion), and China ($324.83 billion), comprising 36.37% of all U.S. imports.
Year-over-year price inflation for exports was 3.29%, with agricultural exports rising 2.64% and non-agricultural exports increasing 3.29%. Import price inflation was notably higher at 7.58% overall, driven by an 8.25% increase in non-fuel imports, while fuel prices declined 1.72%.
Exchange rate movements between November 2024 and November 2025 showed the U.S. dollar weakening against the Chinese yuan 2.7%, the euro 9.6%, the British pound 4.5%, and the Mexican peso 10.5% while strengthening against the Japanese yen 4.6%.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 3, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Courts across Arizona will host statewide oath reaffirmation ceremonies for legal professionals on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, as part of Arizona Rule of Law Day, officials with the Arizona Supreme Court and county court systems announced.
The events, scheduled simultaneously in all 15 Arizona counties, will invite attorneys and other legal professionals to reaffirm their Oath of Admission in local courthouse ceremonies. The reaffirmation ceremonies represent a formal recommitment to upholding the rule of law and administering justice.
The statewide celebration coincides with several milestones in American history, including the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12, and Arizona’s 113th statehood anniversary on Feb. 14.
In announcing the ceremonies, Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer said renewing the oath on these historic dates underscores the importance of the rule of law in American governance. “On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, lawyers across Arizona will come together to renew their oath — a reminder that the rule of law depends on the daily commitment of those sworn to uphold it,” Timmer said. “Reaffirming that oath on February 12, Lincoln’s Birthday, honors our nation’s founding ideals and our shared responsibility to serve justice with integrity and respect for the Constitution.”
Chief Justice Timmer’s remarks will be available for livestream and replay by courts statewide.
As of this report, the Arizona Judicial Branch provided scheduling and location information for ten of the state’s 15 counties.
- Apache County — 11:00 a.m.
Superior Court in Apache County, 70 W. 3rd St. S., St. Johns, AZ — Presiding Judge Michael Latham.
- Cochise County — 11:30 a.m.
Cochise County Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 1415 W. Melody Lane, Building G, Bisbee, AZ — Presiding Judge David Thorn.
- Coconino County — 11:30 a.m.
Superior Court in Coconino County, 200 N. San Francisco St., Flagstaff, AZ — Presiding Judge Ted S. Reed.
- Graham & Greenlee Counties — 12:00 p.m.
Superior Court in Graham County, 800 Main Street, Safford, AZ — Presiding Judge Michael Peterson and Presiding Judge Jeremy Ford.
- La Paz County — 10:00 a.m.
Superior Court in La Paz County, 1316 Kofa Ave., Parker, AZ — Presiding Judge Marcus Kelley.
- Maricopa County — 10:00 a.m.
State Courts Building, 1501 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ — Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer and Presiding Judge Pamela Gates. Livestream available.
- Mohave County — 12:00 p.m.
Mohave County Board of Supervisors Auditorium, 700 W. Beale St., Kingman, AZ — Presiding Judge Steve Moss.
- Pima County — 4:00 p.m.
Superior Court in Pima County, 110 W. Congress St., Tucson, AZ — Presiding Judge Danelle B. Liwski.
- Pinal County — 11:00 a.m.
Superior Court in Pinal County, 971 N. Jason Lopez Circle, Building A, Florence, AZ — Presiding Judge Joseph Georgini.
- Yavapai County — 4:00 p.m.
Superior Court in Yavapai County, Historic Courtroom, 120 S. Cortez St., Prescott, AZ — Presiding Judge John Napper.
The reaffirmation ceremonies aim to highlight the central role that legal professionals play in a justice system where laws are applied fairly and equally. The events are being organized jointly by the Arizona Supreme Court, State Bar of Arizona, and courts statewide.
Yavapai County Presiding Judge John Napper said in a statement, “The Yavapai County Superior Court is honored to host this event. It is always important to take time to remember why we do what we do. I encourage all legal professionals to attend and reaffirm their dedication to the rule of law and justice.”
Correction: A previous version of this story listed the incorrect names of the some of the presiding judges. The story has been updated with their correct names.
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.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 2, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Republican majority at the Arizona House and Senate are advancing legislation to ensure full income tax conformity.
The state remains without conformity since Gov. Katie Hobbs rejected a solution by the Republican-led legislature amounting to $1.1 billion. Republicans are trying to bring another solution to the table with HB 2785. It’s unclear if Hobbs will pull up a seat for it.
Earlier this month, Hobbs vetoed legislation that would have aligned Arizona tax code with many of the congressional changes passed last summer under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The governor accused Republicans of giving tax breaks to special interests and increasing taxes on working senior citizens. Hobbs said she would only agree to the Democratic minority’s Middle Class Tax Cuts Package.
“I urge you to rethink your partisan political theater and send the Middle Class Tax Cuts Package to my desk,” said Hobbs. “We should not hold tax cuts for over 88 percent of Arizonans hostage in order to force through tax breaks for special interests. Other questions of tax conformity must be decided through budget negotiations, following the precedent set by Governor Ducey.”
Unfortunately for the governor, the Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) had already advised Arizonans on how to file under federal tax law changes.
Several days before the governor issued her veto, ADOR notified lawmakers of the impossibility of altering their forms during the filing season. This latest bill from Republicans would codify ADOR’s instructions to taxpayers. Senate Finance Committee Chairman J.D. Mesnard (R-LD13) said the bill wasn’t the preferred approach since it wouldn’t provide as much relief to working families.
“The Department of Revenue has already told taxpayers how to file, and we are compelled to make sure the law and that guidance align, especially since the Department has publicly advised taxpayers not to wait to file,” said Mesnard. “Doing nothing would only guarantee more confusion and force families and businesses to fix the government’s mistakes later. We will never support a plan that requires taxpayers to amend their returns because state leaders failed to act when it mattered. It would be completely unjust.”
Without conformity, Arizonans have no way of knowing the accuracy of their filings. It’s likely taxpayers will need to refile, and even possibly pay more than they are prepared to pay.
House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29) said Hobbs was to blame for the present burden of impossible compliance facing Arizona taxpayers. The speaker said the governor has refused to communicate further with Republican leadership on conformity.
“Arizona taxpayers are being asked to file on forms that do not clearly match state law, while the Governor offers no answers and no alternative plan,” said Montenegro. “We asked for clarification privately. We asked publicly. We sent a detailed letter. We received silence. With tax season underway, waiting is not an option. This legislation exists because executive inaction left taxpayers exposed, and the Legislature has a responsibility to step in and restore clarity.”
Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) said it was Hobbs’ agency that introduced the deductive provisions for wealthier filers to which she objected.
“It’s unfortunate the Governor has chosen not to work with us. The Legislature is stepping in to provide certainty by conforming state law to the tax forms her DOR has already released, including the State and Local Tax Deduction,” said Petersen. “The Governor would call that provision a tax break for the rich. We do not support the SALT deduction, but her agency has already included it on the forms, leaving the Legislature no choice but to address it. Tax reform was meant to make filing simpler and more predictable, not create confusion, anger, and frustration for Arizona taxpayers.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 2, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller again refused to drop his agreement to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with deportations.
Miller joined the agreement to team up with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through a 287(g) Task Force Model last August. The county attorney said this agreement would allow his office to “stop sitting on the sidelines” as illegal immigration and its consequences victimize more Pinal County residents.
The 287(g) Program authorizes state and local law enforcement to exercise certain federal immigration enforcement powers. The number of these agreements has grown exponentially under the Trump administration.
Miller said in a Friday press release that he would not yield to the Pinal County Board of Supervisors demand that he end the agreement to assist ICE.
“While the Pinal County Attorney will always discuss a compromise, he will never compromise on prosecuting dangerous criminals,” said Miller. “[T]his agreement will enable us to assist ICE to go after known criminals acting in our communities.”
The Phoenix ICE Field Office said the agreement with Pinal County Attorney’s Office could only be suspended or terminated by either the county attorney or DHS.
DHS reported in a year-end review published last week that it secured over 1,200 agreements through the 287(g) program in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term.
This latest statement from the county attorney was a response to the most recent development in the ongoing conflict between himself and the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. In a special session on Friday, the board authorized outside counsel to take civil action to void or enjoin Miller’s agreement.
The county’s outside counsel argued in a letter issued earlier this month that the agreement between the county attorney and DHS was unlawful for multiple reasons.
That legal analysis argued that Miller lacked the constitutional or statutory authority to enter into agreements on behalf of the county. That analysis claimed the agreement between the county attorney’s office and federal immigration agents was not only impractical, but lacking any existing laws to justify county attorney authority to arrest individuals.
“This is inconsistent with the traditional separation of enforcement and prosecution, potentially eviscerates prosecutorial immunity, and impairs prosecutorial discretion,” stated the analysis.
The letter prompted the supervisors to vote to void the agreement, which Miller has since stated carried no weight.
Earlier this month DHS reported that nearly three million illegal aliens left the country in 2025, a majority of which were self-deportations (over two million) and the remainder deportations (nearly 700,000).
The greater incentive to self-deport was likely due in large part to the administration’s financial incentive. Illegal aliens were paid $1,000 last year and given a flight out of the country to self-deport. DHS disclosed the cost of a single enforced deportation was over $18,000.
The administration raised the self-deport financial incentive to $2,600. With the flight home, self-deportation costs just over $5,000. The self-deport option allows illegal immigrants forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for violating immigration law. Even with this raise, the net taxpayer savings per deportation totals over $13,000 according to DHS.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 2, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A proposed bill making its way through the Arizona Senate promises to increase the number of police by relying on certain military veterans.
Senate Bill 1107 seeks to provide veterans with an alternative pathway for officer certification. This pathway would be limited to honorably discharged military veterans who served as military police. The Senate Public Safety Committee passed the bill unanimously on Wednesday.
The initial version of the bill extended the alternative pathway to all honorably discharged veterans. An amendment adopted by the Senate Public Safety Committee during Wednesday’s hearing modified the bill to limit the pathway to former military police.
Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14) authored the bill. Petersen said in a press release that this bill cut “unnecessary red tape” for those veterans with law enforcement training and experience, while remedying ongoing officer shortages.
“The law enforcement shortages we’re seeing around the state are affecting our officers’ abilities to respond to and stop illegal and criminal activities, hurting the morale of our brave men and women in blue and jeopardizing the freedoms of law-abiding Arizonans,” said Petersen. “Government’s first responsibility is to protect our citizens, which is what my bill does by giving an alternative to hire qualified officers. It’s time to have a surplus of officers in every community across our great state.”
Jeannette Garcia, a councilwoman for the city of Avondale and former military police officer, testified military police were more than qualified to enter the force without undergoing regular certification. Garcia said she may have become a police officer in Arizona herself had state laws not required her to start over in her law enforcement career.
“We operate under strict rules of engagement, high standards, and real consequences. We protect community, maintain order, and lead under pressure,” said Garcia. “This is not about making it easier to wear the badge. This is about making it possible for experienced veterans to continue serving without being forced to repeat training that they mastered.”
The bill would require the state to establish an alternative pathway for peace officer certification. That pathway would factor an applicant’s existing military police training and allow applicants to complete an abbreviated police standards and training program focusing on Arizona laws, procedures, and community policing requirements.
“Military police veterans possess substantial training, discipline, and law enforcement experience gained through active-duty service,” stated the bill’s legislative intent. “Transitioning veterans into civilian policing strengthens public safety while honoring their service.”
Applicants would still be required to pass a certification examination approved by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board on Arizona’s police procedures and laws, as well as maintain statutory requirements relating to moral character, medical and physiological fitness, and background investigations.
As of this report, the bill only has individuals registered in support of the bill and none against.
Multiple states have adopted similar laws enabling veterans to have an expedited pathway for joining law enforcement, including Texas, Florida, and North Carolina.
If passed and approved by the governor, the bill would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 1, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona Senate Republicans are refusing to let a parental rights bill die under Gov. Katie Hobbs’ heavily-used veto pen.
Senate Republican leadership revived the legislation through a concurrent resolution, passed out of committee on Wednesday. This legislative pathway allows the slim Republican majority to avoid another inevitable veto from the governor.
SCR 1006 from Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh (R-LD3) directly challenges the supremacy of transgender-affirming policies and practices within schools.
“Parents have a fundamental right to know what’s happening with their kids at school, and students deserve privacy and safety. No 14-year-old girl should be forced to stand naked in a shower with an 18-year-old man who thinks he’s a girl,” said Kavanagh. “Families shouldn’t be sidelined, and schools shouldn’t be forced into confusion. This reflects what most Arizonans already believe, and it gives them the final say.”
If passed, the resolution would have voters decide whether to require schools to obtain parental permission prior to engaging in transgender-affirming behaviors: referring to a minor student by a name other than the one listed on school records, or referring to a minor student using pronouns that differ from that student’s biological sex.
Voters would also decide whether public schools must provide reasonable accommodations: access to a single-occupancy or employee restroom or changing facility for any individual unwilling to use the facility designated for their biological sex.
Lastly, voters would decide whether individuals could sue public schools for subjecting them to transgender-affirming policies, such as encountering an individual of the opposite sex in a restroom or changing facility designated for their biological sex, or being required to share sleeping quarters with a person of the opposite sex.
Gov. Hobbs vetoed two bills that contained these legislative provisions last year (SB 1002 and SB 1003). In identical letters, Hobbs said the state had more pressing matters than asserting parental rights over transgenderism within schools.
“[These] bill[s] will not increase opportunity, security, or freedom for Arizonans. I encourage the legislature to join with me in prioritizing legislation that will lower costs, protect the border, create jobs, and secure our water future,” said Hobbs.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
