Hobbs Vetoes Gulf Of America Bill— Scolds GOP

Hobbs Vetoes Gulf Of America Bill— Scolds GOP

By Matthew Holloway |

Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2700 on Monday which would have compelled the Arizona State Board of Education to include Geography in its prescribed competency requirements for graduation from high school and defined that instruction to include instruction accurately referring to the Gulf of America.

In her veto letter to Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, Hobbs chose to adopt an adversarial, scolding tone toward Republican leaders.

Hobbs wrote, “Today, I vetoed House Bill 2700. Arizonans want us to work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education. Instead of joining with me to do that, this Legislature has chosen to attempt to dictate how teachers refer to geographic features. I encourage you to refocus your time and energy on solving real problems for Arizonans.”

State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-LD16) held a different view however and emphasized the importance of accurate and patriotic instruction for Arizona students: “It’s important to start teaching pro-America to our students. What better way to promote a patriotic country and teach children about patriotism than to start calling it Gulf of America and taking pride in that?”

While making her disapproval of the bill clear, Hobbs called upon Republican legislators to “work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education,” despite her recent vetoes, which have thrown aside meaningful reforms in all four policies.

In 2023, Hobbs infamously vetoed SB 1184 which would have eliminated rental taxes that drive up the monthly rent of millions of Arizonans, and SB 1063 which would have banned sales taxes on groceries. The sponsor of SB 1063, Senator Sonny Borrelli, said that Hobbs “would rather have windfall taxes go to cities on the backs of people that need to survive on essential items like groceries consumed at home.”

On Border Security, Hobbs vetoed the Arizona Immigration Cooperation and Enforcement (ICE) Act, SB 1164 this April, and SB 1610 earlier this month, which would have required county detention facilities to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by providing access to data on illegal aliens arrested for serious crimes.

On the subject of Jobs, Hobbs drew severe criticism from Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp (R-LD29) when she vetoed SB 1584.

“The Governor despicably vetoing this bill demonstrates her support for discrimination and a lack of leadership for refusing to push back against fellow Democrats who support these unethical hiring practices,” Shamp said at the time. ” I am extremely disappointed, yet not surprised, that Hobbs continues to appeal to the radical left with her tone-deaf veto decisions, rather than support legislation to reform workplace policies that prioritize anything other than talent and hard work. It’s truly petrifying that we have a governor who can, without shame, prioritize discrimination and favoritism, over unity and respect for every Arizonan.”

Hobbs also vetoed another school related bill, SB 1050, sponsored by Senator Vince Leach (R-LD17) in April. The bipartisan measure would have directed tax dollars from Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) to schools by prohibiting the abatement of school district-designated tax revenues. “This was a missed opportunity by the Governor,” Leach told AZ Free News. “She says she supports education funding, but her veto suggests otherwise.”

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.

TOM PATTERSON: The Best Way To Get Illegal Immigrants To Return Home

TOM PATTERSON: The Best Way To Get Illegal Immigrants To Return Home

By Dr. Thomas Patterson |

There has likely never been a more tendentious transfer of power in presidential history than the Biden-Harris team’s final act. They salted the ground by allocating billions of unspent COVID funds to George Soros and other radical left-wing groups.

Out of spite, they sold the border wall at giveaway prices. They tied down policy preventing offshore oil drilling, granted Social Security benefits to previously ineligible government employees, defied the Supreme Court to forgive student loans, and were uncooperative in relinquishing the VP residence.

Yet by far the most consequential crisis they unleashed is the massive number of illegal aliens now embedded within our borders. Many Americans were astonished to see our leadership not only ignore American immigration law but actively work for its violation.

Now we know for certain their claims that they needed more funding and legislation were made-up excuses. Their successors have reduced daily crossings to near-zero without the benefit of either.

Their attempted deceptions fooled some but not all. As public outcry grew, they doggedly persisted, willing to take the heat in order to transform America’s future electorate.

Worse, they succeeded. No reliable statistics are available for the getaways, unlawful crossings or total new “guests,” but most estimates are in the range of 20 million illegally within our borders.

Many sanctimonious Americans claim these lawbreakers should be allowed to stay for humanitarian reasons since they’re just “seeking a better life” or “fleeing persecution” in the case of the mostly bogus asylum seekers. But when a busload of “victims” was delivered to the left-wing enclave of Martha’s Vineyard, they were speedily transported elsewhere within a day.

That’s understandable, hypocrisy aside. These are not your grandfather’s immigrants, who wanted to be contributing Americans and often endured generations of hardship to assimilate, learn the language, and become self-supporting.

Today’s illegal immigrants are rewarded for wading the Rio Grande by becoming entitled wards of the state. They are fed, sheltered, and transported around the country. They are housed, sometimes in luxury hotels, and introduced by helpful NGOs to benefits like health care, education, and permanent food programs.

No serious consideration was given to the prospect that immigrants or their proxies would bear financial responsibility for all these goods and services. Thus, jurisdictions like New York City are feeling the pinch of what amounts to a sudden, dramatic expansion in their welfare roles, forcing out existing programs.

Trump made the resolution of this threat a major feature of his election campaign by vowing to close our borders and deport millions of illegal immigrants. To his credit, he has made a sincere effort, reducing breaches of the border from 130,000 monthly last April to a mere trickle today.

But reversing the inflow has proved more problematic. As of recently, relying almost solely on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remove illegals has resulted in a total of 65,000 deportations. Those with criminal records have commendably been prioritized, but at the rate so far achieved, we would deport only 1 million, or about 5%, of those who are eligible, in four years.

Trump often prefers confrontation to resolve conflicts, but there’s a better way, using incentives and voluntary self-removal. Immigrants are attracted to America primarily by work and welfare. If those magnets could be eliminated, immigrants would eventually self-deport.

The welfare piece is relatively simple logistically. There is no coherent reason to grant benefits to those who intentionally defy our laws and take advantage of our generosity.

Government welfare benefits to illegals should be phased out immediately. Moreover, their home countries would benefit from having their working age citizens return.

Jobs are more complicated. E-Verify is the federal system for assuring that illegal immigrants don’t take American jobs, but it has not worked well, partly due to lack of cooperation from employers who frankly prefer foreign nationals who are compliant and work for less.

To prevent a future glut of unskilled, unneeded workers, President Trump must work with Congress to make E-Verify the enforceable law of the land. Like the border itself, it is simply a matter of having the will to make it happen. Lettuce may cost a bit more, but the vegetables will still get picked.

Dr. Thomas Patterson, former Chairman of the Goldwater Institute, is a retired emergency physician. He served as an Arizona State senator for 10 years in the 1990s, and as Majority Leader from 93-96. He is the author of Arizona’s original charter schools bill.

‘Robust’ Border Security Funding Package Passes Out Of Homeland Security Committee

‘Robust’ Border Security Funding Package Passes Out Of Homeland Security Committee

By Matthew Holloway |

Arizona Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ2) is bringing attention to a “robust border security funding package” that advanced out of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

The funding recommendation proposes massive investments in physical barriers at the border, the improvement of existing facilities, a major manpower investment, including retention bonuses and signing incentives, as well as an urgently needed overhaul of border surveillance technology.

“As Arizona’s only member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I’m proud to support President Trump and his team as they secure the border. By heavily investing in overlapping deterrents, our plan will significantly reduce human trafficking, fentanyl overdoses, and unlawful entries,” said Rep. Crane.

“This package will provide reinforcements for our brave agents on the ground and fortify our defenses for years to come. I appreciate Chairman Green’s leadership and look forward to sending the President long-overdue assistance.”

Among the recommendations, the Committee advanced an allocation of $46.5 billion for an “integrated border barrier system—an advanced solution that includes not only physical infrastructure but also technological enhancements.”

According to the Committee, the improvements will include: “internally reinforced steel bollards, fencing, all-weather access roads, lighting, surveillance cameras, and other cutting-edge technologies to support real-time monitoring and response.”

In terms of physical barriers, the package would allocate $46.5 billion for:

  • Completion of 701 miles of primary wall
  • Construction of 900 miles of river barriers
  • Construction of 629 miles of secondary barriers
  • The replacement of 141 miles of vehicle and pedestrian barriers.

Technological advances would include a $2.7 billion investment in:

  • Ground detection sensors
  • Integrated surveillance towers
  • Tunnel detection capability
  • Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
  • Enhanced communications equipment.

In terms of personnel-facing investments, the package directs $4.1 billion toward filling the need for “additional Frontline CBP Personnel,” $2 billion for annual Retention Bonuses for existing personnel, and signing incentives for new hires.

“After hours of Democrat objections to commonsense border security funding, Homeland Security Committee Republicans held the line to advance budget recommendations that provide Customs and Border Protection with the resources needed to continue President Trump’s success in securing our border for years to come,” said Chairman Mark E. Green.

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.

AZ Congressmen Praise President Trump’s First 100 Days

AZ Congressmen Praise President Trump’s First 100 Days

By Matthew Holloway |

Members of the Arizona GOP Caucus, Reps. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) and Eli Crane (R-AZ02), marked the 100th day of President Donald Trump’s second administration with statements and social media posts praising the accomplishments of the 47th President and the Republican-led Congress.

Congressman Crane offered a series of posts to X pointing to the President’s achievements in border security, the economy, energy, forest health, and draining the swamp.

In full he wrote, “Thank you, President Trump, for ending the premeditated border invasion. We didn’t need new legislation. We just needed a new President.”

“The Democrats left President Trump a broken economy with record inflation and skyrocketing costs. Thankfully, we now have a President who prioritizes Americans, not globalists.”

“Under President Trump’s leadership, American Energy Dominance will prevail. The days of sidelining our vast resources are over.”

“Thank you, President Trump, for revamping our approach to forest health. #AZ02 welcomes these proactive wins that provide long-term stability.”

“Despite formidable opposition, President Trump continues to take on the administrative state and entrenched establishment. We appreciate the President’s commitment to tackling waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Congressman Hamadeh offered his own congratulatory post with a note: “Promises Made. Promises Kept. Congratulations to @POTUS on an incredibly successful First 100 Days!”

Hamadeh cited as accomplishments: 70+ Terrorists killed, $5 Trillion in secured domestic investment, $57 Billion in canceled foreign aid, $935 Billion in saved tax dollars, along with 139,000 illegal immigrants deported to date.

The White House posted on X, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we have the most secure border in the history of this nation. President Trump was able to do in 100 days what the Biden administration couldn’t — or wouldn’t — do in four years.” In a subsequent post the White House added, “100 days of President Trump—and we’re nowhere near tired of winning. To the haters: we’re just getting started. AMERICA FIRST FOREVER!”

In a statement, President Trump said, “Every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America.”

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.

TOM PATTERSON: The Best Way To Get Illegal Immigrants To Return Home

Arizona Legislature Passes AZ ICE Act To Expand Cooperation With Federal Immigration Enforcement

By Jonathan Eberle |

Last week, Arizona lawmakers passed SB 1164, also known as the “AZ ICE Act.” The bill, sponsored by Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), seeks to strengthen cooperation between local and federal authorities on immigration enforcement. It now awaits consideration by Governor Katie Hobbs.

The legislation, which passed the Arizona House along party lines with full Republican support, prohibits state and local government entities from enacting policies that restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It also establishes a process for enforcing compliance: if a city or county is suspected of violating the law, a complaint may be filed with the Arizona Attorney General, triggering an investigation under Arizona Revised Statutes §41-194.01—commonly referred to as a “1487 investigation.” Jurisdictions found in violation could have state-shared revenues withheld until they comply.

“I applaud my colleagues… for supporting this vital action to help safeguard our communities from dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” said Petersen. “It’s time for the Governor to put politics aside… and protect innocent men, women, and children.”

The AZ ICE Act prohibits state and local government agencies from blocking cooperation with federal immigration enforcement; authorizes the Arizona Attorney General to investigate and penalize non-compliant jurisdictions; requires county sheriffs and the Arizona Department of Corrections to honor immigration detainer requests; and it allows law enforcement agencies to enter into 287(g) agreements with the federal government, deputizing local officers to perform certain federal immigration enforcement duties.

The AZ ICE Act mirrors efforts in other states to support federal immigration enforcement amid ongoing national debates about border security and states’ roles in immigration policy. Proponents argue such measures are necessary to prevent the release of undocumented immigrants with criminal records and to ensure local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The bill now heads to Governor Hobbs’ desk. If signed, the AZ ICE Act would take effect later this year. As the immigration debate continues, Arizona remains a key player in shaping the conversation on border policy, enforcement, and public safety.

Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.