Gov. Katie Hobbs isn’t planning on deploying the National Guard to the border anytime soon; she said that security is ultimately the federal government’s job.
Hobbs told The Center Square that since the border town of Lukeville hasn’t explicitly requested that assistance, she wouldn’t be giving it. Hobbs said that the Biden administration needed to be doing more to mitigate the border crisis.
“It’s not something that they’re asking for right now,” said Hobbs. “We need the federal government to step up and do its job and secure our border.”
NEW: Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is not planning on deploying National Guard troops to Lukeville just yet.
“It’s not something that they’re asking for right now,” she told me just now.
“We need the federal government to step up and do its job and secure our border.”
On Monday, the illegal immigration surge prompted the Biden administration to announce closure of the Lukeville port of entry for legal travel. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a statement last Friday calling the ever-worsening border crisis an “evolving situation” that required taking personnel from the legal port of entry.
“In response to increased levels of migrant encounters at the Southwest Border, fueled by smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals, CBP is surging all available resources to expeditiously and safely process migrants,” said CBP.
Travelers were directed to cross the border through either the Nogales Port of Entry or the San Luis Port of Entry.
In response, Hobbs issued a joint statement with Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema complaining about the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis. The trio passed some of the blame across the aisle, implying that their Republican colleagues weren’t working with them well enough to “get something done” about the border.
“Partisan politicians who parrot talking points while watching the border further deteriorate must reject the echo chamber and work with us to get something done and keep our communities safe,” said the trio.
Arizona border communities are in crisis, and our men and women on the front lines do not have the resources they need.
At any given time of day, hundreds of illegal immigrants — even up to around 1,000 — remain lined up along the U.S. side of the border, waiting for their processing and transportation to Lukeville or elsewhere.
AZ: There are currently 845 people waiting to be transported in Lukeville after crossing illegally—The ones I talked to are from Guinea—Some of them have been waiting 3 days.
When families cross, they jump the line— So the single adults have been waiting much longer.
The area has been admitting tens of thousands of illegal immigrants weekly as of late.
We are on the ground in Lukeville, AZ, which has become the epicenter of the border crisis. The area sees thousands of illegal crossings daily from around globe, & is part of Border Patrol’s Tucson sector, which just saw a record setting 17,500 illegal crossings last week alone. pic.twitter.com/g6Y91FjTip
Hobbs wasn’t the only one as of late spurning state-led initiatives to mitigate the border crisis. Democratic lawmakers condemned a Texas bill authorizing state and local law enforcement to apprehend and arrest illegal immigrants. The legislators claimed that the Texas bill would result in racial profiling and familial breakups.
“This bill will undoubtably [sic] lead to widespread racial profiling and a circumvention of protections asylum seekers have under constitutional law and international obligations,” stated the lawmakers.
The Democratic lawmakers hosted a pro-illegal immigration activist effort, Todos Somos Texas (We Are All Texas), speaking in Spanish as well as English to make their case against border security. Todos Somos Texas is a coalition of multiple progressive groups including La Voz Demócrata de San Diego and Latinos Associated Together Informing Networking and Outreaching.
Reps. @Aguilar4AZ@SandovalForAZ and @Marcelino4AZ spoke at today’s press conference for Todos Somos Texas, a caravan on its way from California to protest SB4, a potential copycat of Arizona’s disastrous “show me your papers” law SB1070. Their remarks, in Spanish: pic.twitter.com/HwNZf5VJMs
The controversial bill would restrict arrests from taking place at churches, medical facilities, and schools, but not college or university campuses.
A similar bill from Arizona was already rejected by the Supreme Court in 2012. Arizona v. U.S. determined that local law enforcement couldn’t arrest based on immigration status. Texas lawmakers backing the new law point out that, unlike the overturned Arizona law, the statute of limitations on misdemeanor crimes limits law enforcement to arresting those illegal immigrants who crossed recently — not those who have resided in the state for a long period of time.
Texas’ novel law may affect illegal immigrants from qualifying for an asylum claim, since criminal history serves as a disqualifier.
Texas’ bill would take effect in March 2024, upon signing by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to CBP as Customs and Border Patrol. The story has been corrected and now refers to CBP as Customs and Border Protection.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
In the ongoing standoff over 13 agency appointments, Gov. Katie Hobbs took issue with the Senate’s vetting process; yet, she was forced in recent months to withdraw one of her nominees over his alliance with antisemitic extremism.
Former Democratic State Sen. Martín Quezada failed to be confirmed as the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AROC) director following discovery of his support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement.
Quezada purged his X timeline of several anti-Israel posts. In a deleted May 2021 post, Quezada urged his followers to listen to a speech by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and to “free Palestine.” In her speech, Tlaib called for the U.S. to cease funding to Israel over the alleged apartheid of Palestinians. Traditionally, apartheid concerns state-sanctioned racial segregation and discrimination such as the denial of voting rights.
‘How many Palestinians have to die for their lives to matter?’ — Rep. Tlaib called out U.S. involvement in Israeli violence during this powerful floor speech pic.twitter.com/mOYdd0VW8F
Tlaib’s remarks came about a month after the Human Rights Watch (HRW) declared that Israeli policy in the West Bank amounted to apartheid, one of the first international organizations to do so. Tlaib, HRW, and other pro-Palestinian entities and actors have accused the Israeli government of apartheid for denying certain rights and privileges enjoyed by its citizens to Palestinians, as well as their engaging in a military conflict to maintain control over the disputed territory.
Two days after Quezada reposted Tlaib’s remarks, he appeared as a guest speaker for a Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ) protest against the alleged Palestinian apartheid. CAIR-AZ has been identified as an entity of the Muslim Brotherhood and linked to activity with Hamas: the terrorist militant group behind this most recent attack on Israel.
As of this report, at least nine Americans were killed and an unknown number remain hostage. Authorities estimate that at least 150 individuals were taken hostage, if not more. Early estimates declared that 800 Israelis were killed, and over 2,500 were wounded in this most recent attack.
In his May 2021 speech for the CAIR-AZ protest, Quezada called the Israeli government a “Zionist state” enacting terrorism: invalid military occupation, human rights abuses, and ethnic cleansing. Quezada called for President Joe Biden to cease funding for the Israeli military.
“All of those billions of dollars, that is directing military aid that is going to occupation forces that are committing terrorism against the people of Palestine right now,” said Quezada. “This — what we are witnessing — is oppression and occupation in action right now. This is murder in action right now.”
Today, CAIR-AZ joined over 1000 Arizonans at the State Capitol to demand justice for the human rights violations and the #apartheid occurring in Palestine! We demand that our tax dollars do not go to fund the killing and the forced displacement of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/ZiYe73nOOI
After the protest, Quezada wrote in a since-deleted post that he was a proud ally to the Free Palestine movement.
“I was proud to be present today as a friend and an ally to the Palestinian people,” said Quezada.
The next month, Quezada voted against legislation enhancing school curriculum on the Holocaust and antisemitism. In a speech on the Arizona Senate floor, Quezada derided the legislation as a lobbyist push to root out any criticisms of Israel.
“There is a strong and a well-funded lobbying effort that’s underway right now to take advantage of this crisis, to redefine antisemitism to include any criticism of the nation-state of Israel,” said Quezada.
Despite these past remarks and actions, Hobbs nominated Quezada for the AROC directorship in January.
By May, the Senate Committee on Director Nominations rejected Quezada’s nomination, dubbing him “an unqualified extremist with [a] racist past.” The committee uncovered Quezada’s antisemitic sentiments through its vetting process.
Although Hobbs apparently conceded to the committee’s findings by withdrawing Quezada’s nomination, only several months later the governor accused the Senate of poor vetting techniques. Hobbs cited canceled hearings and failures to bring committee-approved nominees to the floor for a vote. The governor accused the committee of “slow walk[ing]” acceptable nominees.
“[I]t is clear the Senate’s vetting process is not functioning as intended by law or tradition,” said Hobbs. “I have fulfilled my responsibility of nominating eminently qualified directors who meet the requirements of law.”
Hobbs withdrew her 13 nominees and reappointed them as executive deputy directors in an attempt to bypass the Senate confirmation. The move prompted a feud between Treasurer Kimberly Yee and Hobbs after the former declined to recognize several Hobbs appointees as valid members at the last Board of Investment meeting, followed by the latter accusing Yee’s concern with the law of being “extremist” behavior and “partisan obstructionism.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Gov. Katie Hobbs says that her decision to not veto more bills represented her biggest missed opportunity this past legislative session.
In an interview with 12 News, Hobbs shared that her 143 vetoes weren’t enough in her eyes — a record-breaking total that far surpassed the 58 vetoes of the last female Democratic governor for the state, Janet Napolitano. Hobbs laughed, then clarified that vetoing for the sake of vetoing wasn’t her goal.
“I didn’t come here to veto bills,” said Hobbs.
In April, Hobbs celebrated breaking Napolitano’s veto record after killing a bipartisan bill to legalize more homemade food sales.
With June came a slew of vetoes on Republican-led and bipartisan bills addressing hot-topic issues.
Hobbs vetoed a bill requiring all child sex offenders to register within the state’s online database. A loophole in state law only requires child sex offenders to register if they’re not considered a high risk of reoffending. Hobbs justified that those child sex offenders didn’t need to be registered because they weren’t the “most dangerous.” Lawmakers denounced Hobbs’ veto, arguing that it allowed predators to remain undetected in communities built on trust, such as schools and sports teams.
Similarly, Hobbs vetoed a bill banning sexually explicit materials from classrooms. The governor derided the legislation as an attempt to ban books.
The governor also vetoed a revision of Proposition 400, which would’ve allowed voters to vote separately for roads and transportation funding. Last week, a bipartisan majority passed a version of Proposition 400 that reunited the two funding questions.
Hobbs then vetoed bills barring state contracts and investments with organizations implementing social credit scoring, often called Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) systems.
The governor also vetoed an election integrity measure prohibiting election officers, employees, or individuals overseeing elections operations from serving in the leadership of a political action committee. Hobbs claimed in the veto letter that there were too few of these cases to justify codification.
Hobbs also vetoed a bill requiring public schools to provide single-access restrooms and changing facilities for transgender individuals. The governor said the protective measure was discriminatory against LGBTQ+ individuals.
The governor also vetoed a bill requiring municipalities to require vagrants to remove their encampments. Hobbs said that the bill shouldn’t be allowed to take effect since it doesn’t address why the homeless decide to install unlawful encampments and offers the homeless no alternative to establishing the encampments.
In the preceding months, Hobbs vetoed several other key bills banning photo radar, prohibiting schools from using the incorrect pronouns to satisfy transgender perspectives, increasing punishments for those who make or distribute fentanyl to minors, increasing punishments for those who commit domestic violence against pregnant women, requiring employers to honor religious exemptions for vaccinations, prohibiting schools from teaching critical race theory, and prohibiting municipal taxes on rental or leased properties.
In the Sunday interview, Hobbs said that, despite the many vetoes and heightened political divisions, she has managed to push through significant legislation, citing the budget. Apart from the vetoes, the divisions are most evident in the fact that only a handful of her nominations have been approved.
Additionally, Hobbs took a jab at the state’s universalized school choice program. The governor said the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program was “unaccountable” and rife with “runaway spending.” Hobbs said that she would continue to look for ways to undermine the program, if not roll it back entirely.
The governor also advocated for greater action to counter alleged climate change. Local and federal Democratic leaders have appeared to have been moving in lockstep when it comes to characterizing the desert heat as a federal emergency, a classification that would come with increased funding for climate and social projects.
Hobbs also expressed confidence that a ballot measure expanding abortion access would come before voters next year.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
The partner to Gov. Katie Hobbs’ chief campaign advisor now works as a lobbyist for the Saudi Arabian company targeted for taking the state’s water supply.
The partner, Chad Guzmán, co-manages the lobbying firm Fillmore Strategy with Hobbs’ senior campaign advisor, Joe Wolf. The Saudi Arabian company tapping into Arizona’s dwindling water supply, Fondomonte, enlisted Guzmán’s firm, Signal Peak Consulting, about two months ago according to a Fondomonte spokesperson. However, Fondomonte didn’t register their hire of Guzmán with the secretary of state’s office until Wednesday. Guzmán is the sole member of his firm, which was registered in January. Fillmore Strategy and Signal Peak Consulting have the same address listed on their registration with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Guzmán formerly worked as a lobbyist for former Attorney General Tom Horne for one year in 2011, Arizona Public Services (APS) and Pinnacle West Capital Corporation from 2013 to 2020, and EPCOR Water from 2020 to 2023.
Wolf told The Arizona Republic that he no longer receives payments from Hobbs’ campaign, and that he has no business dealings with Fondomonte.
“Given I’ve never had a contract, been paid by Fondomonte or provided consultation, I’d say this is a nothingburger,” said Wolf. “Chad’s extensive experience over the years makes him a valuable asset to any client and he maintains a separate and solely owned consulting practice, of which I am not involved.”
In April, Attorney General Kris Mayes revoked Fondomonte’s drill permits for two deep-water wells. Fondomonte received permission under former governor, Doug Ducey, to use Arizona water for growing alfalfa to feed cattle overseas.
Just 8 months ago, Arizona state agencies approved new deep-water wells in La Paz County for a Saudi-owned company to pump thousands of gallons of water per-minute.
I can tell you that today – just before Earth Day – that's not happening. Those drill permits have been revoked.
— AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes (@AZAGMayes) April 21, 2023
Fondomonte originally grew its alfalfa in Saudi Arabia, but moved their operations due to a long-term drought similar to the one plaguing Arizona.
Prior to Guzmán, Fondomonte hired Rose Law Group and former Republican congressman John Shadegg: six months earlier on the same day in January.
Hobbs’ office wouldn’t comment on Guzmán’s hire or proximity to her campaign advisor, Wolf.
Wolf came into the spotlight after Project Veritasdocumented him driving around with an AR-15 to campaign events. Wolf said he traveled with an AR-15 because it was “easier to fire than a handgun.” In a separate clip, Wolf stated that Hobbs would do everything in her power to issue an assault weapons ban.
“There’s nothing she could do about it, at least immediately, right? Except advocating for it publicly, which is really more impactful once you’re governor,” said Wolf. “This state is unfortunately crazy in love with their guns.”
Wolf again came into the spotlight for retrieving Hobbs last October, who fled and hid in a restaurant’s bathroom after reporters attempted to ask her questions about her aversion to discussing policy.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
More of Arizona’s municipalities are increasing their water conservation efforts, leading taxpayers to pay more for less.
Preexisting sustainability goals and the burgeoning Colorado River drought have offered justification for these municipalities’ efforts, which have now resulted in lawn bans, increased water rates, and restricted water usage over the last few years.
Multiple cities recently traded in their Colorado River water rights in exchange for federal funding: Tucson, Phoenix, Peoria, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Surprise, Queen Creek, along with the state, Apache Junction Domestic Water Improvement District, Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District, Metropolitan Domestic Water Improvement District in Tucson, Salt River Project, and EPCOR.
Last month, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) ban on the construction of new Phoenix homes that would rely on groundwater.
These progressive restrictions and charges also continue despite noted successes in conservation in comparison to past years with smaller populations.
The answer may lie with other developments in the state over the years. Big Tech’s data centers may be one of the major drains on water supply outweighing the net savings of residents’ water conservation efforts.
Mesa
In comparison to the other cities, Mesa doesn’t impose major water conservation restrictions. It does offer $1,000 in rebates for grass removal, with an additional $100 maximum for planting native trees.
However, the city may be contributing to the water burdens faced by its neighbors. In 2019, it approved the development of a data center for Google that could use one to four million gallons of water daily. Arizona residents average about 146 gallons daily currently.
Yet, as Time pointed out, Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMUA) — an organization that Mesa helped found — chastised Arizona residents several weeks after the deal between Mesa and Google for using 120 gallons on average daily.
Meta (formerly Facebook, which also owns Instagram) is now building a data center there as well. The year they broke ground in Arizona, they promised to be “water positive” — meaning, restoring more water than they consume — by 2030.
Like Google centers, data centers could use around one to five million gallons of water a day according to Texas Tech University’s Water Resources Center director, Venkatesh Uddameri.
Microsoft also operates data centers out of El Mirage and Goodyear. They made the same promise to be water positive by 2030.
Over 30 percent of the world’s data centers are located in the U.S.
Scottsdale
Scottsdale banned lawns on new builds earlier this month.
The city also offers to pay residents up to $5,000 for lawn removals, and up to $1 per square foot of water surface area plus $400 for pool or spa removals. For multifamily properties, homeowner associations (HOAs), and commercial businesses, the city offered up to $40,000 to remove their lawns, with an additional $10,000 bonus for grass strips adjacent to streets.
Since Scottsdale launched its rebate program in 1992, total rebates amounted to over $4.7 million; about half of which came from grass removals. The city has removed 94 acres of grass since the program’s launch. This fiscal year’s rebate budget sits at $450,000.
Last September, Scottsdale banned HOAs from requiring overseeding lawns.
Residents surpassed the city’s goal of 10 percent water conservation, achieving 12 percent over the last two years.
Tucson
Last month, Tucson banned lawns and reduced water flow in new constructions. The city also required all new residential dwelling units to include piping for a separate discharge of gray water for direct irrigation: the untreated, leftover water from washing machines, bathtubs, and sinks.
In 2008, Tucson required all commercial development and site plans to include a rainwater harvesting plan that provided for 50 percent of the annual landscape water supply.
In 2014, Tucson passed a water waste ordinance fining individuals $250 on the first offense and $500 on subsequent offenses up to $2,500 for allowing water to escape or pool onto public property; washing driveways, sidewalks, parking areas with a hose (unless a residential customer); operating a misting system in unoccupied non-residential areas; having an irrigation head or emitter that’s broken or spraying more than 10 percent onto a street, parking lot, or sidewalk; failing to control a leak; and failing to meet the 50 percent rainwater harvesting requirement for landscape irrigation.
Tucson also offers multiple rebates: $100 per residential, multi-family, or commercial premium high-efficiency toilet; $150 for a flushometer valve/bowl combination; $200 for high-efficiency or water-free urinal installation; $100 or $200 for a residential high-efficiency clothes washer; up to $2,000 for a residential rainwater harvesting system; and up to $1,000 for a gray water system. The city also offers special incentives for low-income residents: free high-efficiency toilets, grants up to $1,000 and loans up to $2,000 for a rainwater harvesting system, grants and loans up to $500 for a gray water harvesting system, discounted high-efficiency clothes washers, and free plumbing repairs.
Each year, Tucson makes available up to $250,000 in grant money to establish stormwater harvesting in neighborhoods.
Phoenix
Last month, the Phoenix City Council approved the Sustainable Desert Development Policy, requiring rezoning cases on new developments to satisfy city-approved standards on EPA WaterSense efficiency certifications; drought tolerant and/or native landscaping; restrictions on turf usage; outdoor irrigation efficiency standards; green infrastructure or low-impact development provisions for surface parking areas, streets, and sidewalks; participation in the city’s Efficiency Checkup program; new swimming pool standards; new wet-cooling system standards; and preservation of natural open spaces.
Additionally, the policy will require any entities that use over 250,000 gallons of water per day to submit a water conservation plan, approved by city staff. Any entities that use over 500,000 gallons of water per day must derive 30 percent of their water consumption from a recycled or conserved water source.
Entities dubbed “large water users,” may be denied operation even if their conservation plan is acceptable to the city. The policy stated that the city may reject the large water user if there’s inadequate water resource availability in their proposed location, inconsistency with the city’s planning documents; undesirable economic value and impact of their proposed water use; undesirable impact to water rates; or incompatibility with the city’s definition of a key industry beneficial to the economy.
The city doesn’t offer any rebate programs, though last December city officials expressed a desire to launch one to incentivize lawn removals. The city signed a joint pledge between locales in California and Nevada to remove ornamental turf.
The city also imposes an ordinance onto new developers, the Water Resources Acquisition Fee (WRAF) ordinance, which may be mitigated via credit if the developer provides a permanent reduction in annual water demand on the city.
The city has promised that it won’t institute mandatory water use restrictions in the near future, though it warned that severe or worsening drought conditions within the next 10-15 years may warrant such restrictions. Policy changes could include water waste punishments similar to Tucson’s, requiring child safe pool covers to reduce evaporation, banning turf irrigation, and banning car washing.
Flagstaff
Flagstaff has stricter water use requirements than some of the other Arizona cities.
The city has a watering allowance schedule during which residents may water their landscape: even-numbered addresses on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and odd-numbered addresses on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Nobody may water on Mondays, and the city prohibits watering between 9 am and 5 pm. Gardeners wishing to water by hand — “incidental hand watering” — may do so on any day, except from 9 am to 5 pm. However, vehicle washing is not subject to the water schedule restrictions.
The schedule is only permitted to be used when the city is at the first stages of burdened water demand. At level two, the city bans irrigation; car washing at home; driveway, sidewalk, and tennis court washing; filling of fountains, ponds, streams, or pools over 100 gallons. The city also increases water rates for those using over 6,400 gallons, and potable standpipe rates increase by 130 percent. At level three, potable water use is banned outside.
Those who violate the rules within any of the three levels are subject to fines starting at $25, doubling with each violation.
The city implements a diverse set of rebate programs. Commercial properties may receive free high-efficiency sink aerators, free high-efficiency shower heads, free pre-rinse spray valves, $86 rebate or 50 percent of project cost for commercial toilets, $158 or 50 percent of project cost for hotel toilets; and $157 or 50 percent of the project cost for commercial urinals.
Both residential and commercial properties may receive a rebate at 25 cents per square foot for converting to low-water landscaping. They may also receive a $100 rebate on installation of a rainwater harvesting system with 1000-gallon minimum capacity, and free 55-gallon rainwater harvesting barrels.
The city reported that their conservation efforts, beginning in 1988, have yielded a 50 percent water use reduction.
Gilbert
The town of Gilbert is offering up to $800 to residents and up to $3,000 to non-residential customers who swap their lawns for desert landscaping that uses less water. The city set aside $60,000 for the residential program, and $15,000 for the non-residential program.
A Gilbert spokesperson told AZ Free News that they have a total of $120,000 per year to issue on their rebate programs, and that the allocated funding within that budget may change from year to year based on the popularity of each program.
Anyone who receives $600 or more in water bill credits must complete a W9 for the Gilbert Water Conservation, as per the Biden administration IRS reporting requirement enacted last year.
Those aren’t the only water conservation financial incentives that Gilbert has offered. The town introduced rebates up to $250 for residential, $400 for non-residential properties to install smart irrigation controllers.
In May, the town applied for a $3 million grant from the Water Conservation Fund to replace grass on government property with desert-tolerant landscaping. The grant money ultimately comes from federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Gilbert announced that it saved 254 million gallons due to its conservation efforts in 2019, and 375 million in 2018.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
