Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed a bill that would have empowered state police to apprehend undocumented immigrants, marking her first veto of the year. This move by Hobbs, a Democrat, underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding border security, particularly in election years, as states contend with an influx of migrants crossing the southern border.
In 2023, Hobbs gained notoriety for rejecting a record number of bills passed by the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature, spanning contentious issues such as abortion, elections, and L.G.B.T.Q. rights.
Her recent veto reflects her stance against what she perceives as anti-immigrant sentiment, despite her expressed frustrations with the Biden administration’s approach to the border crisis. The legislation in question, known as the Arizona Border Invasion Act, aimed to classify unauthorized border crossings as state misdemeanors and felonies for repeat offenders.
Additionally, it would have granted state law enforcement the authority to detain migrants and state judges the power to order deportations. However, Hobbs criticized the bill, asserting that it failed to enhance border security, posed risks to communities and businesses, and could potentially run afoul of the U.S. Constitution.
ALSO READ: Border Patrol Agents Nab Illegal Migrants With Sprawling Criminal Records at U.S. Border
This bill drew parallels to a similar law in Texas, which is currently entangled in legal disputes between state and federal authorities. The Supreme Court’s recent indication of intervention in the Texas-Biden administration standoff underscores the significance of such legislative battles.
In response to her veto, Governor Hobbs voiced her opposition to the measure on social media platform X, condemning it as “anti-immigrant legislation” designed for political gain. Conversely, the Arizona Republican Caucus decried Hobbs’ decision, emphasizing the necessity of legislation aimed at curbing criminal activities associated with undocumented immigration.
The veto marks Hobbs’ first of the 2024 legislative session, following a record-breaking 143 vetoes issued last year. Her tenure as governor has been characterized by a steadfast approach to contentious issues, exemplified by her unwavering stance on immigration policy.
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“From human smuggling to child sex trafficking, rapes, murders, drug trafficking, fentanyl overdoses, high-speed chases, subsequent deadly crashes, and other atrocities, local law enforcement personnel have reached their breaking point trying to protect the lives of our citizens from this invasion,” the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement.
“The heart-wrenching February 22 murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley happened at the hands of a criminal who entered our country illegally. Arizona families are being torn apart by similar devastation,” said state Sen. Janae Shamp, who sponsored the bill.
“Vetoing the Arizona Border Invasion Act is a prime example of the chaos Hobbs is unleashing in our state while perpetuating this open border crisis as Biden’s accomplice. Arizonans want and deserve safe communities.”
ALSO READ: Mayorkas Blows Hot at Capitol Hill as Republicans Blame Biden for Border Crisis
Hobbs’ veto was her first of the 2024 legislative session following a record-breaking 143 issued last year, thumping former Gov. Janet Napolitano’s single-year veto record of 58 in 2005. Hobbs took office in January 2023 after winning the gubernatorial election against Kari Lake, who never conceded her more than 17,000-vote defeat and repeatedly and unsuccessfully challenged the results in court.
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