On Tuesday, Arizona legislators gave their approval to a ballot measure that puts the question of whether illegal immigration should be considered a state crime in the hands of the voters.
The proposed legislation, known as the “Secure the Border Act”, seeks to criminalize the act of illegally entering Arizona from Mexico. This would empower local law enforcement to detain and imprison migrants who are suspected of crossing the border without authorization. Additionally, state judges would be authorized to deport individuals who are convicted of this offense.
Arizona’s Republican-controlled Legislature has passed a measure that will be placed on November ballots during a presidential election year. The state is a key swing state that will see Joe Biden and Donald Trump face off. The measure was passed along party lines.
In a statement, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma emphasized that open borders do not lead to anything good. He strongly believes that it only brings about negative consequences such as crime, the widespread use of deadly drugs, violence, and the creation of unsafe communities. Moreover, he points out that this results in an unending financial burden on American taxpayers. Despite these alarming effects, Democrat leaders remain opposed to taking any action to address this pressing issue.
He added that the people of Arizona are fed up and yearn for a transformation. They desire secure neighborhoods and a well-protected border, and the House Republicans share the same sentiment.
“We have developed the Secure the Border Act, also known as HCR 2060, to safeguard the workforce of Arizona, reinforce the rule of law, and strengthen criminal laws. This ballot referral proposes significant reforms that uphold the integrity of Arizona’s economy. The final approval of this Act has ensured that the will of Arizona voters will be heard in the upcoming November elections.”
Last month, HCR 2060 passed in the GOP-controlled state Senate, prompting the governor to publicly denounce it. He claimed that the resolution would have detrimental effects, such as job loss, harm to businesses, and hindrance to law enforcement’s ability to prevent dangerous crimes.
According to a statement by Hobbs, the bill proposed by business leaders, border law enforcement, and bipartisan local leaders throughout the state is not an effective way to increase safety. In fact, it will only serve to demonize communities and lead to racial profiling.
According to Customs and Border Protection data, over 412,000 migrants have been detected illegally crossing between ports of entry in Arizona’s Yuma and Tucson sectors in the current fiscal year. Federal authorities have been dealing with this issue constantly.
Border Patrol agents have reported that the Tucson sector has recorded the highest number of encounters in fiscal year 2024, surpassing the other eight sectors that they monitor. Specifically, they have recorded 373,000 encounters in this sector.
The Biden administration has taken legal action against Texas, Iowa, and Oklahoma, seeking to prevent the implementation of laws that resemble the Arizona measure. The administration argues that these laws are unconstitutional as they infringe on the federal government’s sole authority to regulate the entry and reentry of noncitizens into the United States.
On the day of Biden’s announcement of an executive order to potentially close the US-Mexico border, a ballot measure was also approved. Officials have stated that this measure would take effect if illegal crossings exceed 2,500 per day for seven consecutive days. However, the restrictions would be lifted two weeks after daily crossings average 1,500 per day for seven days.
According to the RealClearPolitics poll average, Trump currently holds a 4-point lead over Biden in Arizona, despite Biden’s efforts to close the gap.
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