by Matthew Holloway | Dec 17, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
House Republicans, led by Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08), unveiled legislation Friday proposing the creation of a permanent national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring Americans killed by individuals unlawfully present in the United States.
The proposal would establish a permanent memorial dedicated to victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, a category House Republicans say has been overlooked in national remembrance efforts.
At a Friday press event, Hamadeh said the bill “authorizes a permanent national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring U.S. citizens and lawful residents whose lives are taken by individuals unlawfully present in the United States.” He added, “But in many ways, it also shames the politicians who allowed this situation to happen.”
In a later post to X, he wrote in part, “Humbled and grateful to lead this effort to establish a memorial in honor of the victims of Biden’s border crisis. Thank you to the incredible Angel Parents for sharing their experiences, my congressional colleagues for joining this effort, and the @TABSReport American Border Story for fighting alongside us.”
According to Fox News, the legislation is being led by Republican lawmakers who say the memorial would serve as both a place of remembrance and a public acknowledgment of the consequences of federal immigration policy failures. The proposal calls for a federally designated site that would memorialize victims while remaining nonpartisan in its presentation.
Newsmax reported that eight co-sponsors, all Republicans, joined Hamadeh, that The American Border Story (TABS) would raise funds for the monument from private sources, and that Aagel families would select a design and an architect.
Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) attended the event alongside Hamadeh and highlighted the disparity between the Biden and Trump administrations’ responses to enforcing immigration law. “They ended the Remain in Mexico policy, restarted catch and release,” he told reporters.
TABS Executive Director Nicole Kiprilov told Fox News, “I’d like to thank President Trump for leading an historic administration that has put these victims and families at the center of our immigration agenda.”
“Secretary Kristi Noem, border czar Tom Homan and the entirety of the Trump administration has been working night and day tirelessly to ensure that our border is secure and that these tragedies that the Biden administration allowed to happen will never happen again,” she added.
The proposal comes amid ongoing debates in Congress over border security, immigration enforcement, and the humanitarian and public safety impacts of illegal immigration. Republicans have repeatedly cited crime victimization as part of the broader argument for stronger border controls and immigration reforms.
Democrats have previously criticized similar proposals, arguing that crime rates among immigrants do not justify singling out a specific category of offenders. The Fox News report notes that the legislation is expected to face opposition as it moves through the legislative process.
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 Matthew Holloway | Dec 16, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Linda McMahon has formally restored Grand Canyon University’s nonprofit status, a reversal of a years-long dispute that had kept recognition of the Phoenix-based university’s tax-exempt classification in limbo.
The Department of Education’s (USDOE) action means it will now consider Grand Canyon University (GCU) a nonprofit institution for federal purposes, aligning its treatment under federal student-aid rules with the university’s longstanding recognition as a nonprofit by the Internal Revenue Service.
“We are appreciative that officials within the current Department of Education adhered to the recent Ninth Circuit decision in our favor and conducted an objective and thorough review of GCU’s operations in determining GCU’s nonprofit status under the correct legal standard,” GCU President Brian Mueller said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the Department in a cooperative manner moving forward and being part of the conversation to address the many challenges facing higher education.”
The move follows a May decision by the USDOE to reverse a $37 million fine against GCU, imposed under the Biden administration with prejudice. The fine was the largest ever levied by the agency against a university.
In November 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Department of Education had unlawfully denied GCU nonprofit status and remanded the matter to the department for reconsideration under the correct legal standard. In 2018, the IRS reaffirmed GCU’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status after a multi-year audit, concluding that the university met all requirements of a nonprofit educational institution.
The restoration of nonprofit recognition comes as several Arizona members of Congress and other lawmakers have publicly advocated for the university’s status.
U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ02) took to X on Monday to highlight the Education Department’s decision, calling the reinstatement of nonprofit status a significant development for the institution.
U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05) also posted on X following the department’s announcement, noting the change in federal recognition and urging continuation of support for aligned legislative efforts.
In previous years, Arizona Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Gosar and Biggs had criticized the Department of Education’s handling of the university’s nonprofit status and its regulatory actions. They characterized earlier denials and fines as misplaced or excessive and called for greater alignment between federal treatment and GCU’s IRS-recognized status, per the Arizona Sun Times.
Gosar told the outlet at the time, “GCU is being targeted for its religious views and for being the largest Christian university in the country. The Department of Education should recognize GCU’s lawful nonprofit status and stop the harassment.”
With the Education Department’s updated decision, the agency will now consider GCU’s application as a nonprofit institution in future federal evaluations, including eligibility for Title IV federal student financial aid programs.
“This decision removes the cloud of confusion over our nonprofit status and allows us to put our complete focus and resources on our mission to provide affordable, Christian higher education to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds,” Mueller added. “We are excited to move forward with clarity and purpose.”
According to the university, nonprofit recognition is also expected to expand access to private scholarships restricted to nonprofit institutions, increase eligibility for nonprofit-specific grants and partnerships, restore eligibility for future government relief programs, reduce legal expenses associated with defending its status, and solidify GCU’s standing as a voting member of NCAA athletics.
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 Matthew Holloway | Dec 15, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), a declared candidate for Arizona governor in 2026, has accused Tucson Mayor Regina Romero of encouraging obstruction of a federal law-enforcement operation after she posted on social media during active immigration enforcement last week.
In a post on X that drew hundreds of reactions, Biggs criticized Romero for alerting residents to the presence of a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operation near Flowing Wells and Miracle Mile on the morning of Dec. 10.
“Unbelievable,” Biggs wrote. “Why is the mayor of Tucson encouraging obstruction of a lawful federal police operation? Could it be because she favors those who are illegally in the country over American citizens?”
Biggs’ post included a screenshot of a Facebook message Romero published during the operation. In the post, Romero told residents that federal agents were active in the Miracle Mile area and urged people to remain peaceful while protesting or documenting the activity.
“You have the right to protest and document these activities,” Romero wrote. “It is very important to remain peaceful while you do.”
Romero later defended the post in comments on KOLD News 13, saying the alert was intended to calm the situation and keep the community informed about ongoing immigration enforcement activity. “I just want to make sure that we don’t provoke any confrontations,” Romero said.
Reaction locally was mixed, with some residents praising transparency and others questioning whether publicly sharing the location of an active law enforcement operation could endanger agents or allow enforcement targets to evade arrest.
Video of Romero’s Facebook post and surrounding commentary circulated widely on social media, including a clip shared by Libs of TikTok, which amplified both the mayor’s message and Biggs’ criticism.
According to federal officials cited by local media, the Dec. 10 enforcement action involved executing a search warrant at a business park near Flowing Wells and Miracle Mile, which includes AG Trucking, as part of an investigation into alleged cabotage violations and unlawful labor practices.
The Dec. 10 action marked the second major federal enforcement operation in Tucson in less than a week.
On Dec. 5, HSI, working with IRS Criminal Investigation, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, and U.S. Border Patrol, executed 16 federal search warrants across southern Arizona, according to ICE. The coordinated operation targeted multiple Taco Giro restaurant locations, associated residences, and other properties as part of a multiyear investigation into a transnational criminal organization.
Federal authorities reported that 46 individuals were taken into custody on immigration-related allegations, along with two additional arrests connected to interference with law enforcement activity during the Dec. 5 operation.
Protests erupted outside a Taco Giro location at 610 N. Grande Ave., where demonstrators temporarily blocked federal agents inside a gated parking area using a bike lock. According to Fox News, agents deployed tear gas, pepper balls, and smoke grenades to disperse the crowd. Two HSI Special Response Team operators were injured during the incident, one suffering a ruptured bicep and another a knee injury.
The Tucson Police Department assisted with traffic control during the incident but did not deploy force, according to a statement cited by Tucson.com.
U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) later claimed she was pepper-sprayed while attempting to gather information at the scene, referring to ICE as “a lawless agency under this Administration – operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process.”
Mayor Romero and Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz condemned the federal response, in statements to AZ Luminaria, describing the deployment of smoke grenades and pepper balls as a “disproportionate use of force” against protesters, including an elected member of Congress.
Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin stated, however, that Grijalva was in the vicinity of protesters who were obstructing officers, but was not directly targeted by federal agents.
She wrote in a post to X, “If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel. But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who *was* pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement. In fact, 2 law enforcement officers were seriously injured by this mob that @Rep_Grijalva joined. Presenting one’s self as a ‘Member of Congress’ doesn’t give you the right to obstruct law enforcement. More information forthcoming.”
Two protesters from the Dec. 5 incident, Sheryl Anna Rowe and Ryan Michael Seal, now face federal charges, according to KOLD. Rowe is charged with assault on a federal agent, while Seal faces charges related to damage to government property.
The raids led to temporary closures at seven Taco Giro locations as of Thursday. As of this report, no criminal charges have been announced in connection with either the Dec. 5 or Dec. 10 enforcement actions beyond the protest-related cases.
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 | Dec 12, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Governor Katie Hobbs is being accused of kicking black and disabled adults and children off an elevator so she didn’t have to wait in line at a football game.
The alleged incident was said to have occurred at the Territorial Cup: the post-Thanksgiving Day football game between Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of Arizona (U of A).
A local reverend and former political candidate, Jarrett Barton Maupin, Jr., accused Hobbs of forcing his group, which consisted of several handicap adults and disabled kids, off an elevator to the executive suites for the game. His group had waited in line for the elevator connecting to the suites. Maupin explained he had a delegation with him consisting of folks from the inner city who had never attended an ASU football game.
According to Maupin in a post to X and a subsequent interview on “The Afternoon Addiction with Garrett Lewis,” the displaced group was given the reason of “executive privilege” for their removal.
Others of equal or greater elected importance were present, per Maupin, waiting in line for the elevator connecting the executive suites at the game.
Here’s Maupin’s account of what occurred:
“Everyone was in line to leave. You had a U.S. Senator in there waiting in line behind us, you had the governor of the River Indian community, you had so many people there, congressmen, even people like Karrin Taylor Robson, candidates. Lots of what people might consider special people, but everyone waiting and understanding that there’s one elevator up to the suites and one elevator down. So we get in, it’s our turn to get in, and it’s about 15 people, and we all happen, just happened to be African American, it wasn’t planned, including the elevator operator who was a black woman. And we get in, she’s getting ready to press the button and everything, and suddenly they say, ‘You gotta get off the elevator! Clear the elevator!’ I thought there was a problem, I said, ‘What’s going on?’ And they said, ‘Well, there’s somebody with executive privilege. You gotta get off the elevator.’ So we get off. And, lo and behold, our governor and her security detail, it’s like maybe five or six people, get on this elevator, and so they took this elevator.”
When others countered that Hobbs required that elevator ride for security reasons, Maupin shared that he and almost every other attendee within the suites had a security detail, but he didn’t observe others forcing the evacuation of an elevator as Hobbs was alleged to have done. Maupin also disclosed that Senator Ruben Gallego shared a subsequent elevator ride with them.
“No, it was not [a call made by her security team]. Funny thing is a U.S. Senator and staff/security rode down after us,” said Maupin. “I have a security detail. Almost everyone in the suites did, besides guests. Electeds, candidates, business leaders. What she did was rude and unnecessary. It was a lame move. But only her latest.”
Maupin questioned whether Hobbs had the authority to order people off elevators, and what about the football game triggered an executive privilege.
“What was the emergency?” said Maupin. “We all have pressing business. I’m pretty busy. I know Senator Gallego is pretty busy and [Governor] Stephen Roe Lewis, and everyone that was up there[.]”
Later, Maupin said he was assured by Representative Andy Biggs that the congressman wouldn’t use executive privilege to oust constituents, especially not minorities or disabled individuals. Biggs is vying to unseat Governor Hobbs in 2026.
“I have also been assured that he would have ‘jumped right in [the elevator] with us,’” said Maupin.
Maupin questioned whether this was a consistent pattern of behavior with Hobbs, citing the racial discrimination allegations put forth by Talonya Adams, her former staffer, which were twice affirmed in court.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Dec 10, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs is pressing House Republican leadership to move quickly on a sweeping market-based overhaul of federal health-care policy, as enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies approach their scheduled expiration at the end of 2025.
In a letter co-signed by House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) and Reps. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Biggs wrote, “Republicans have solutions, and it’s time to implement them.”
The proposal outlined by Biggs is designed as a free-market alternative to Obamacare and reflects key elements of President Donald Trump’s healthcare agenda. Supporters argue the framework would shift federal policy away from government subsidies and toward consumer-driven healthcare.
“The time for half measures is over,” Biggs wrote to Speaker Johnson. “The American people deserve healthcare reform built on freedom, affordability, flexibility, and choice—not more subsidies, red tape, or handouts for insurance companies.”
Under the proposal, conservatives would allow the expanded ACA premium tax credits to expire, arguing the subsidies have inflated healthcare costs, expanded federal dependency, and funneled taxpayer dollars through insurance companies rather than directly to patients. As Breitbart News noted, the framework draws on nine Republican proposals, including those of Reps. Greg Steube (R-FL), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Kevin Hern (R-OK), Bob Onder (R-MO), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Gary Palmer (R-AL), and Chip Roy (R-TX), as well as Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), and Rep. Andy Biggs’s own Health Savings Accounts for All Act.
The framework emphasizes expanded Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), allowing individuals to use tax-advantaged dollars for insurance premiums, prescriptions, and other medical expenses. It also promotes interstate insurance competition and expanded access through Association Health Plans; reforms aimed at lowering costs through market competition.
Biggs and his fellow conservatives argue that Obamacare’s structure relies too heavily on mandates, subsidies, and centralized control, which they say have driven up premiums while limiting consumer choice, particularly for self-employed individuals and those in the gig economy.
The plan also includes provisions to codify restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortion and reinforce conscience protections for healthcare providers, aligning with longstanding conservative policy priorities.
For Arizona, the debate carries direct implications for large numbers of independent contractors, small-business owners, and self-employed workers who often face high ACA marketplace premiums and limited plan options. Expanded HSAs and portable insurance plans could offer greater flexibility for those groups.
“This is a clear blueprint,” Biggs added in his letter to Speaker Johnson, “Americans should be able to take cost-sharing reduction payments and underlying Obamacare subsidies straight into their pockets, giving them control instead of funneling money through insurers.”
At the same time, thousands of Arizonans currently rely on ACA subsidies to offset insurance costs. If Congress allows those enhanced credits to expire without a complete replacement, some households could see premiums rise sharply in the short term.
The framework is not a single bill, but a coordinated package of existing legislative proposals intended to serve as the backbone of a broader GOP healthcare overhaul. With subsidies set to sunset in 2025, and 2026 midterm elections looming, Republican lawmakers face growing pressure to either replace the current system or risk widespread premium increases ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Fellow Arizona Congressman Eli Crane, who co-signed the letter, amplified the effort on X, writing, “Let’s get it done.”
Biggs concluded his call-to-action writing, “The House must act with clarity and conviction. These reforms should be brought to the floor without delay. If we plant our flag now, we can rebuild a healthcare system that reflects true conservative principles and puts power back where it belongs, in the hands of patients, not bureaucrats or insurance companies.”
Biggs’ push effectively forces the debate into the open. It will compel Congressional Republicans to publicly choose between pursuing a complete market-based reset of federal healthcare policy or seeking a more limited adjustment to the existing ACA structure.
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.
