A viral story across the media accused the Trump administration of keeping parents from their adult son dying of terminal cancer.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded that was the furthest thing from the truth.
Although their son had been living and already returned to Mexico, his parents decided to reenter the country illegally.
DHS says the parents, Isidor Gonzales Aviles and Normal Anabel (also identified as Norma Anabel Ramirez Amaya), were not in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and that their family misrepresented critical facts in their case to the media.
Per DHS, Aviles and Anabel had been deported years prior to this event and were illegal aliens. Neither individual had standing to enter the country regardless of the reason.
Aviles entered the country illegally in 2000; from that point to his removal in 2011, Aviles was arrested and charged multiple times with sexual abuse, retail theft, battery, trespassing, and disorderly conduct.
Anabel entered the country illegally in 2005. She was also deported back to Mexico in 2011. However, Anabel entered the country illegally again in 2024, where she was apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and redeported within several days.
Their son Kevin Gonzalez — who is 18 and is identified as a U.S. citizen — was born during that time period while his parents were hiding out in the country illegally in Chicago, Illinois. That would mean Gonzalez was born to illegal immigrant parents, what some call an “anchor baby” in the heated debate over birthplace citizenship that has made its way to the Supreme Court.
Although Gonzalez was born in Chicago, he lived in Mexico with his parents leading up to December 2025. That’s around when Gonzalez received his cancer diagnosis and left his parents to seek out medical treatment in the U.S.
Gonzalez was diagnosed with metastatic Stage 4 colon cancer in January and was initially under the care of his brother, Jovany Ramirez, in Chicago. Aviles and Anabel reported petitioning for humanitarian parole into the country to be with Gonzalez, but their petitions were denied.
During this time, Gonzalez traveled back to Mexico to be with his family. He entered the care of his grandmother, Virginia Amaya.
DHS later responded to media reports on the claim of humanitarian parole; according to DHS, Aviles and Anabel applied for B1/B2 visas, which were denied, not humanitarian parole.
Although Gonzalez returned to Mexico, Aviles and Anabel then reentered the country illegally in April and were detained by CBP in Douglas, not ICE. The parents were taken to the Florence Correctional Center for processing.
On Thursday, a federal immigration judge authorized the expedited release of Aviles and Anabel.
Congressional Democrats who qualify illegal aliens as constitutents and have prioritized fighting against immigration enforcement efforts came to the family’s defense.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) called the story “heartbreaking.”
“I’m asking ICE to accommodate this request so Kevin can see his parents one last time,” said Grijalva. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about human decency.”
This is absolutely heartbreaking.
I'm asking ICE to accommodate this request so Kevin can see his parents one last time.
Grand Canyon University’s student ensemble choir Critical Mass will perform later this month at a national celebration in Washington, D.C. tied to America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
The choir was invited by the White House to participate in “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving,” scheduled for May 17 on the National Mall. The event is part of the broader America250 initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
According to Grand Canyon University News, 14 members of Critical Mass remained on campus after the conclusion of the spring semester to continue rehearsals before departing for Washington on May 15.
“This is probably the biggest stage for Critical Mass,” Grand Canyon University Chair of Music Dr. Juan de Dios Hernandez told GCU News. “This event reflects who we are, a jubilee for prayer and praise.”
The May 17 event coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Continental Congress’ 1776 proclamation calling for a national day of fasting and prayer. Organizers described the gathering as an event intended to “reaffirm the country’s biblical foundation through moving messages, personal testimonies and worship music.”
“This really centers around what we do,” he added. “We do a lot of things, but the primary thing we do is share the Christian faith in whatever context we are.”
Critical Mass serves as one of the university’s primary musical ambassadors and performs more than 100 times during the academic year, according to the university. The ensemble recently performed during 13 commencement ceremonies held at Global Credit Union Arena.
University President Brian Mueller publicly recognized the group’s invitation during a recent commencement ceremony.
The Washington event is expected to feature addresses from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, and Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, according to GCU News.
Other scheduled performers include Christian artist Chris Tomlin, singer Laura Osnes, Liberty University Praise, the Hillsdale College Choir, and the United States Navy Band.
The appearance marks another public role for GCU in events surrounding the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial observances. Earlier this year, the university hosted the Arizona America250 Commission’s traveling museum exhibit commemorating the anniversary.
The labor market is on a continued decline in Arizona, per the latest federal data reporting for March.
Arizona’s reported numbers marked one of the worst months of decline in the labor market nationwide, according to an analysis published this week by the Common Sense Institute (CSI) in its review of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for March.
CSI stated in a press release that the BLS data indicated Arizona’s labor market had exhibited an increased divergence from national trends this year: slowing employment growth, rising unemployment, and weaker wage growth. Overall, CSI said these behaviors indicated the state would be enduring a tougher economic environment.
Arizona recorded its first monthly job loss of this year, losing around 2,600 nonfarm jobs. This caused the state to be placed 12th in terms of worst employment performance nationwide. The state also lost 300 manufacturing jobs, bringing the year-over-year total to 1,300 jobs lost, and 1,600 trade, transportation, and utilities jobs, bringing the year-over-year total to 6,200 jobs lost.
Arizona and 15 other states experienced month-over-month job losses. March marked the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year job losses for Arizona.
“[T]he confluence of a falling labor force participation rate and rising unemployment rate further point to a souring labor market in the state – a trend we highlighted in the previous Jobs and Labor Force Update,” stated the CSI report.
The nation gained 178,000 jobs in March, overcoming the loss of 133,000 jobs in February.
Arizona had a middling ranking year-over-year for job growth nationally (36th) and a lower ranking year-over-year for hourly wage increases (44th). The jobs ranking improved slightly from earlier this year (43rd).
Arizona has been losing jobs year-over-year since last August, warned CSI, while the growth of jobs has slowed steadily since 2022.
In the latter dataset, Arizona hourly wages increased nearly two percent year-over-year. Real wages rose up by more than half a percent year-over-year, compared to the national average of 1.3 percent.
The state’s employment rate rose to 4.7 percent.
The trend in Arizona aligns with the overall decline experienced across the nation. Job openings fell in March, though a recent hiring surge surpassing several years of pacing indicates this decline may stabilize or even turn around.
Acting BLS Commissioner William Wiatrowski, a longtime component of the agency, has defended the labor market reports amid months of criticisms from President Donald Trump. It was the president’s dissatisfaction with BLS reports, in part, that prompted the removal of Wiatrowski’s predecessor last summer.
Earlier this year, Wiatrowski denied accusations that poorer reports were manipulated or influenced to benefit Democrats.
“I can tell you there is no outside interference in the data,” said Wiatrowski. “If anyone was cooking the books, I would be one of the first persons shouting.”
Trump has nominated another longtime BLS economist and twice member of the president’s Council of Economic Advisors, Brett Matsumoto, to take over as the permanent commissioner.
“For many years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, under WEAK and STUPID people, has been FAILING American Businesses, Policymakers, and Families by releasing VERY inaccurate numbers,” said Trump in a Truth Social post in January. “I am confident that Brett has the expertise to QUICKLY fix the long history of issues at the BLS on behalf of the American People. Brett Matsumoto is a Brilliant, Reputable, and Trusted Economist who will restore GREATNESS to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”
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Arizona’s top Democrats from Congress on down are coordinating to pass a ballot measure that would enshrine relaxed voter ID laws in the Arizona Constitution.
A coalition of top Democrats joined on a livestream earlier this week for a launch of the Protect the Vote Arizona Act political action committee: Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), and Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07); Secretary of State Adrian Fontes; Attorney General Kris Mayes; and the minority leaders for the Arizona House and Senate, Rep. Oscar De Los Santos (D-LD-11) and Sen. Priya Sundareshan (D-LD-18).
The Democrats styled the ballot measure in their public comments as focused primarily on keeping mail-in voting as an option in Arizona. However, most of the ballot measure focuses on undoing the strictness of voter ID laws and ensuring that stricter voting requirements may not come to pass.
The Protect the Vote Arizona Act would require the acceptance of any IDs with the photograph, name, and address of an individual — not just limited to any government-issued form of identification.
The act also prohibits limiting allowable forms of identification to photo IDs, and requires acceptance of IDs so long as election workers can’t determine “on its face” that the identification provided had expired.
The act would also require the acceptance of “any two forms of identification that bear the name and address of the elector.” The non-exhaustive examples of valid voter ID included utility bills or bank or credit union statements dated within ninety days of the election, or any mailing labeled “official election material.”
Even if an individual doesn’t provide valid identification, the law would require that individual be allowed to cast a provisional ballot regardless. According to the ballot measure, that provisional ballot wouldn’t count unless the elector provides any of the myriad forms of ID to their county elections officer within a certain time frame.
Beyond identification laws, the act would prohibit any policies or laws that would “burden” voting, not just those that restrict or curtail voting. One of those measures would concern mail-in ballots. The act proposes to enshrine mail-in ballots within the Arizona Constitution.
Help us protect early voting and mail-in voting in Arizona! Join me for a ‘Protect the Vote’ livestream this evening to learn more about this key Arizona ballot initiative. We must count and protect every single vote 🗳️📩 pic.twitter.com/uqkqmfYOue
Ansari said in the livestream that Democrats need to gather 500,000 signatures by July 2 to get their constitutional measure on the ballot this November. The Protect the Vote Arizona website said a lower number will be needed: about 384,000 signatures.
Ansari estimated that they’ve already collected about 50,000 signatures in recent weeks.
During conversations on the ballot measure, Grijalva agreed with a claim that the SAVE Act and similar efforts to require voter ID were rooted in racist efforts to prevent non-whites from voting.
“We have to give people hope that there is a way out of this,” said Grijalva. “We know that our message is resonating with people.”
Other top Democrats on the livestream included Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Greg Casar (TX), Jasmine Crockett (TX), Maxwell Frost (FL), and Robert Garcia (CA).
The political action committee behind the ballot measure, Protect the Vote Arizona, claimed to have had no funding or expenditures since its launch in January through the end of March.
Key members behind the ballot measure are Maritza Miranda Saenz, a lobbyist with Lumen Strategies, and Dacey Montoya, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ treasurer and a leading dark money handler for Arizona Democrats (see: “The Money Wheel”).
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs released a new campaign video this week titled “A Freer, Safer, More Prosperous Arizona.” The video outlines his vision for the state as the 2026 gubernatorial race continues to take shape.
In the video, Biggs calls for what he describes as a “freer, safer, more prosperous Arizona,” while emphasizing issues including border security, public safety, tax policy, education, and election administration. The video also criticizes policies advanced under Gov. Katie Hobbs and argues Arizona should pursue a more conservative governing approach.
“We have always been rugged individualists. But under this Governor, we’re not leading the way except to go the way of California. We’re following California, for Pete’s sakes. So, for me, when I look at it and say, ‘Why am I running for Governor?’ I know that this state needs a leader that understands the tremendous potential it has and can unleash it using the processes we have in the Legislature and the authority that the Governor has.”
Biggs currently represents Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and previously served as president of the Arizona Senate.
I’m running for Governor to make Arizona a freer, safer, and more prosperous state.
Katie Hobbs is trying to make Arizona more like California.
We have tremendous potential, but we need leadership to get there.
The release comes as the Republican gubernatorial primary field continues to develop ahead of the 2026 election. Biggs announced his gubernatorial campaign earlier this year and has emerged as one of the highest-profile Republicans in the race.
Biggs has centered much of his campaign messaging on border enforcement, tax reductions, school choice expansion, and election reforms. During a recent Turning Point Action rally in Phoenix, Biggs said he would seek to eliminate Arizona’s income tax, create what he described as a stronger state border security operation, and sign election-related legislation previously vetoed by Hobbs.
At that event, Biggs also described his goal as making Arizona “the most free, most prosperous, safest state in the union.”
The campaign has also emphasized Biggs’ relationship with President Donald Trump and his alignment with the broader “America First” movement. Trump endorsed Biggs earlier this year in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
Polling from Noble Predictive Insights released in March showed Biggs leading the Republican primary field by 21 points while trailing incumbent Gov. Katie Hobbs by five points in a hypothetical general election matchup.
Arizona is shaping up for another tight gubernatorial battle.
Biggs consolidates the GOP primary. Hobbs holds an early advantage. Undecideds remain decisive. Full AZPOP report available now: https://t.co/yyg9z0Kgzk
— Noble Predictive Insights (@NoblePredictive) March 6, 2026
The new video release is the latest in a series of campaign efforts by the Biggs campaign to frame the 2026 race around border security, economic policy, and opposition to the Hobbs administration’s agenda.
The Joint Economic Committee released its Monthly Employment Update for April 2026, showing the U.S. economy added 115,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, exceeding expectations. The gain was driven entirely by the private sector which added 123,000 jobs, while government employment declined 8,000.
Nonfarm payroll employment now stands at 158.74 million, with private sector payrolls at 135.43 million and government payrolls at 23.31 million. The headline unemployment rate (U-3) held steady at 4.3%, while the broader U-6 measure, which includes underemployment, rose 0.2 percentage points to 8.2%. The labor force participation rate declined 0.1 percentage points to 61.8%.
March’s job gain was revised upward by 8,000 to a total of 185,000, while February’s figure was revised downward by 64,000, resulting in a net loss of 156,000 jobs for that month.
In April, the strongest job gains occurred in trade, transportation, and utilities, which added 60,000 positions, and private education and health services, which added 46,000. Losses were recorded in information (-13,000) and financial activities (-11,000).
Over the past year, from April 2025 to April 2026, private education and health services led with 618,000 new jobs, followed by leisure and hospitality with 142,000. The largest declines came in federal government (-311,00) and information (-92,000).
Wage growth remained moderate over the year. Average nominal weekly and hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls both increased by 3.57%. For production and nonsupervisory employees, average nominal weekly earnings rose 3.97%, while average nominal hourly earnings increased 3.67%.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey for March 2026 showed job openings declining by 56,000 to 6.87 million, with the rate falling to 4.1%. Private education and health services and financial activities posted gains in openings, while professional and business services experienced the largest drop. Hires increased sharply by 655,000 to 5.55 million, and total separations rose by 356,000 to 5.38 million, with both quits and layoffs and discharges seeing notable increases.
In Arizona, the labor market softened in March as the state lost 2,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 4.7%, following a gain of 10,100 jobs the previous month.
Over the past 12 months, Arizona has lost 8,600 net payroll jobs while its unemployment rate has risen 0.5 percentage points from 4.2%. The state’s private sector lost 2,400 jobs in March, and employment overall fell by 19,093 during the month. Arizona’s labor force participation rate declined to 61.4% ranking 34th in the nation.
From February to March 2026, Arizona saw gains in private education and health services and professional and business services, offset by losses in leisure and hospitality and trade, transportation, and utilities. Over the full year, private education and health services rained the strongest performer in the spare, while trade, transportation, and utilizes and financial activities posted the largest declines.
Nationally, the labor force participation rate stood at 61.9% in March.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
