by Matthew Holloway | Mar 14, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
On Monday, the Subterranean Border Defense Act, jointly reintroduced by Reps. Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Lou Correa (D-CA) was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and now moves to the Senate. The bipartisan bill received near-unanimous support with 402 votes in favor and one against. The one vote against came from Michigan Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
“Passage of this bill is a massive win for our security. With border crossings thankfully going down since January, it’s safe to assume this will drive threats underneath our border through these tunnels. This legislation will ensure Congress has sufficient knowledge and oversight in regard to this dynamic threat,” Rep. Crane said in a statement.
In a post to X, Crane took note of Tlaib’s dissenting vote writing, “I thought for sure everyone was gonna vote yes on my bill this evening. 402-1 is still pretty solid though.”
Commenting during House proceedings, Crane explained the necessity of the bill by telling Congress, “Since 1990, officials have discovered more than 140 tunnels that have breached the border, with an 80% increase in tunnel activity since 2008,” according to CSPAN. He added, “As transnational criminal organizations continue to grow in both size and sophistication, illicit cross-border tunnels along the southwest border of the United States represent a significant and growing threat to national security.”
According to Fox News, Tlaib’s office did not respond to requests for comment on her lone vote against the measure, which fellow Democrat Rep. Correa called “an important step in the right direction.”
Crane thanked members of Congress on both sides of the aisle for their support saying, “Effective border security is created by overlapping deterrents, and I’m grateful to Chairman Green, Rep. Correa, and my colleagues for supporting this bill.”
In his own statement on the bill, Correa said, “It’s clear that human traffickers and illegal drug smugglers have developed dynamic ways to evade capture—making it urgent and necessary that we adapt to defend against their attempts to breach our border.” He added, “I’m honored to be leading this bipartisan effort, alongside Rep. Crane, to help improve our efforts to counter these tunnels and those who rely on them, and protect the lives of those on both sides of our border.”
The legislation, expected to be taken up by the Senate quickly, was co-sponsored by Representatives Biggs (R-AZ), Duncan (R-SC), Gosar (R-AZ), Guest (R-TX), Higgins (R-LA), Luttrell (R-TX), McCaul (R-TX), and Ogles (R-TN).
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 | Mar 10, 2025 | News
By Mathew Holloway |
The verdict is in on Governor Katie Hobbs’ “Operation Desert Guardian” from Arizona’s Border Sheriffs, and it isn’t good for the Democrat governor.
As the governor faces dwindling popularity poll numbers, fellow Democrat Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos bailed on a lengthy online conference about Hobbs’ border task force, saying “I don’t need another task force.” Noting his membership in four other collaborative efforts combating drugs and human trafficking, he noted, “I’m sorry, I just don’t. And so, I’m out.”
Nanos said his department will not be participating in a devastating blow to the governor’s initiative, given that Pima County covers approximately 31.6% or nearly a third of Arizona’s border with Mexico. The move also has serious political implications. Nanos was one of Hobbs’ biggest supporters during her campaign, even going so far as to cut a campaign ad for her.
Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot, a Republican, offered similar pushback saying, “Let’s not waste state tax payer money on building something that doesn’t need to be rebuilt.”
Both sheriffs were reportedly taken aback by Hobbs’ surprise Executive Order and offered serious criticism of her and the goals of the operation. They told reporters that the work the task force is set to tackle is already being done and would be duplicative, not an added benefit.
“The state is not going to come in to rescue us and be the savior of what we’ve been dealing with,” Wilmot said, noting that the border Sheriffs’ departments offer a wealth of ground-level experience. “They need to come in and be a partner.”
According to a follow up report from AZCentral, Yuma County will participate after a meeting with Hobbs earlier this week.
Speaking with KGUN, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels had his own doubts, “My budgets are already fulfilled. They’re maximized. And so if there are expectations that my office will be doing something without the budget, chances are we won’t do it… I can’t do it.”
Dannels asked, “What’s the cost to my agency? What’s it going to mean for resources? What are they going to take care of that I don’t already have?” He expressed that he wasn’t made aware of the task force, and though he has hopes it could complement his department’s actions, he said, “I don’t know. I have not seen an operational plan.”
Republican Governor’s Association Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton suggested Hobbs’ political motives in a statement to AZ Free News saying, “Katie Hobbs’ desperate attempt to cover up her open border policies won’t work, and border county sheriffs of both parties know she’s a disaster. Arizonans want a secure border and safe communities, that’s not possible as long as Katie Hobbs is governor.”
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 27, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
With the 2026 election just around the corner, Governor Katie Hobbs is adopting right-leaning policies and stances.
On Tuesday, Hobbs announced the creation of a border task force, Operation Desert Guardian (ODG), to enhance border security. The task force strongly resembles the Border Strike Force (BSF) of Hobbs’ Republican predecessor, Doug Ducey.
This renewed focus on border security and support for a task force marks a significant departure from Hobbs’ initial stance as governor.
Early on in her first months in office in 2023, Hobbs began ending Ducey’s BSF, which included removing shipping containers intended to close off unsealed sections of the southern border. On the campaign trail in the summer of 2022, Hobbs promised to not end the BSF. By November, Hobbs indicated her intent to leave border security and immigration enforcement to the federal government.
Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, insisted in statements to the media that Hobbs’ task force differed greatly from Ducey’s strike force. However, the two share nearly identical structures and duties.
The BSF launched as an enforcement bureau within the Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division. The strike force focused on improvements to addressing border-related crimes (for example: drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, vehicle theft recovery, and violent criminal apprehension) while evaluating and analyzing criminal intelligence and enhancing response capabilities along the border. The BSF combined federal, state, county, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies in the border region to carry out these duties, especially for disruption of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs).
By comparison, ODG also partners with local law enforcement within the border-inclusive counties to disrupt TCO operations and border-related crimes.
Hobbs reversed course on her support for Proposition 123. While still a state senator in 2015, Hobbs opposed the proposition’s arrangement increasing state land trust dollars to fund schools. Last month, Hobbs advocated for the proposition’s renewal as an “essential” means of providing “critical funding” for the state’s public schools and educators.
Hobbs also reversed course on a significant agency pick, Angie Rogers, opting instead to restore Michael Wisehart as director of the Department of Economic Security (DES); her predecessor, Doug Ducey, installed Wisehart.
Last month, Hobbs appointed another Ducey administration veteran, Kathryn “Katie” Ptak, to lead the Department of Child Services.
Some efforts undertaken by the current administration, often seen as red meat right-wing priorities, have backfired recently for the governor. Hobbs created a new six-figure role within DES (chief, or “senior executive consultant,” of the newly-created Office of Veteran & Military Affairs) that mirrors the work already undertaken by the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS). The position went to Dana Allmond at Hobbs’ behest, the unsuccessful Democratic 2022 legislative candidate and failed gubernatorial nominee. Republican legislative leaders questioned the apparent duplicity of the new DES position and DVS responsibilities.
Per the secretary of state’s office, 11 individuals have filed statements of interest in the governor’s race: Republican candidates Alan White, Karrin Taylor Robinson, George Nicholson, Scott Neely, Donald Mucheck, Christian “Maverick” Grey, Andy Biggs, and Christopher Ames; Green Party candidates William Pounds IV and Lisa Castillo; and Libertarian candidate Barry Hess.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 13, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
With his oath of office once again taken, incumbent Republican Congressman Eli Crane (AZ-02) announced he will be returning to the House Committee on Homeland Security. He will join fellow SEAL Rep. John McGuire (R-VA-05) and Congressional Freshman Class President Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX-26) on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
“I came to Washington to drain the Swamp and fight to secure our border. In the 119th Congress, I’ll be a committee member of both Oversight and Homeland Security, playing a direct role in fulfilling both of those objectives,” said Crane. “It’s an immense honor to, once again, to serve and represent the People of Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District. I will forcefully keep up the fight to put Arizonans and Americans FIRST.”
Crane’s subcommittee assignments have not been released as of this writing, however during his last term with the Homeland Security Committee he served on the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, and the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability.
Congruent with his assignment to the Homeland Security Committee, Crane released a statement the same day after the passage of the Laken Riley Act, which as the Congressman described, “would allow state attorneys general to sue the Secretary of Homeland Security for injunctive relief if immigration actions such as parole, violation of detention requirements, or other policy failures harm that state or its citizens.” The bill, if signed into law, will also update federal law making it mandatory for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft-related crimes, such as shoplifting, under state and local law.
“I’m pleased to report that the Laken Riley Act passed out of the House of Representatives. This bill will protect our communities and give our law enforcement agencies the resources they need to prevent avoidable tragedies,” said Rep. Eli Crane. “It’s appalling that 159 Democrats sided with criminal aliens by voting against this commonsense measure. Despite their senseless opposition, I’m glad we were once again able to get this bill across the finish line. I appreciate Rep. Mike Collins for his leadership, and I look forward to its swift passage in the U.S. Senate before heading to President Trump’s desk.”
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 Daniel Stefanski | Jan 11, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanksi |
A dangerous discovery was made in southern Arizona.
On Tuesday, Michael W. Humphries, the CBP Port Director of the Port of Nogales, alerted his followers on X that his team had uncovered a shocking load of weapons at the end of the previous year. He wrote, “CBP officers working outbound operations at the Nogales POE seized a rocket launcher and 2 rocket propelled grenades hidden in a car headed to Mexico. The cache was likely intended to protect the cartels and their fentanyl production labs in Mexico.”
Fox News journalist Bill Melugin noted the announcement from the CBP official, adding, “CBP seizes a RPG being smuggled into Mexico at the Nogales, AZ port of entry. Drugs go north, guns go south.”
In an exclusive comment to AZ Free News, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen reacted to the news, saying, “This is a grim reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers are facing as a result of the Biden administration and our Governor not doing everything in their power to secure our southern border. Arizonans are eagerly awaiting when President Trump reinstates sanity and upholds the rule of law in our country, and Republicans at the Arizona Legislature will give him our full support in this important mission.”
One of Arizona’s top law enforcement officials, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, told AZ Free News that “the seizure of these military style weapons illustrates the networking between transnational-criminal cartels and those working on U.S. soil.”
The discovery in southern Arizona is another daily reminder of the dangers faced by the increasingly open and lawless border – especially over the past four years. While much attention is spent on the inbound traffic at and around the ports of entry at the border, there are too few resources and not enough attention to adequately identify the outbound traffic back into Mexico – like this shipment of seized weapons in Nogales. President-elect Donald J. Trump will be taking office in less than two weeks, and he and his team have vowed to crack down on the issues faced by Americans and law enforcement agents due to the porous border.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
