PHOENIX — Governor Katie Hobbs, representing the Democratic Party, vetoed legislation supported by the Republicans on Friday. This bill sought to bolster former President Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies by enforcing cooperation between federal and state or local Arizona officials. The core of the proposal was to prevent these officials from obstructing federal immigration efforts, including using appropriate databases and grant funds related to enforcement. Additionally, it required compliance with immigration detainers, whereby state authorities would retain individuals already in custody until federal immigration officers could take charge of them.
Governor Hobbs expressed a commitment to effectively working with the federal government on genuine border security. However, she criticized the proposal as forcing local and state authorities to follow directives from Washington, a sentiment she articulated in her veto message. Advocates of the bill argued that such measures are necessary for federal authorities to safely and efficiently apprehend immigrants, avoiding situations where they are released from state-run facilities before federal agents can take them into custody.
Critics, however, claim that immigration enforcement should remain a federal responsibility. They warn that this forced collaboration could impose significant financial burdens on local governments and undermine community policing efforts within immigrant neighborhoods. Historical context shows similar laws passed by the Arizona Legislature in the past have led to legal troubles, as evidenced by the adverse 2013 racial profiling verdict against the former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office for its immigrant-targeting traffic patrols.
Republican Senate President Warren Petersen from Gilbert underscored that his proposal intended for Arizona to be a helpful ally, rather than an obstacle, to Trump’s immigration initiatives. The bill mandated state prisons and local jails to enter agreements with federal entities to temporarily house individuals with immigration detainers. It obliged local agencies to honor these detainers and required courts to be informed about any detainers during bail hearings.
Additionally, the bill empowered the Arizona attorney general to investigate noncompliance with the cooperation rules and pursue legal actions to achieve compliance. Proponents indicated that local government revenue sharing could be withheld until full compliance was reached. Arizona’s significant 2010 immigration law also involved similar cooperation with federal enforcement, prohibiting the limitation of federal immigration law enforcement at state and local levels and enabling residents to sue over violations.
However, officials, immigrant rights groups, and county associations report that no related lawsuits have been filed since that law’s enactment nearly 15 years ago. Just over a year earlier, Hobbs rejected a bill criminalizing noncitizens entering Arizona through non-official points along the Mexico border, outside designated ports of entry. The Republican-led Legislature responded by placing a revised version of this measure on the November 2024 ballot, which ultimately received voter endorsement.
Following Trump’s victory in obtaining a second term, Hobbs emphasized efforts to engage with his administration on pertinent issues, including combatting fentanyl trafficking, while recognizing the concerns of families impacted by the immigration crackdown. In a broader political context, Hobbs has pledged to veto all legislative proposals amid ongoing disagreements with the Legislature over funding a state agency catering to individuals with developmental disabilities. She argues that Republicans are using this situation for political leverage, while GOP members accuse Hobbs of financial mismanagement.