Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed the Arizona Immigration, Cooperation and Enforcement Act, which required state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE.
Hobbs wrote to Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, the bill’s sponsor:
Arizonans, not Washington DC politicians, must decide what is best for Arizona.You and I both disagreed with the previous administration’s immigration policies, and we may both disagree with the next administration’s immigration policies. I have worked productively with the federal government to secure our border, stopping fentanyl at our ports of entry through Task Force SAFE, disrupting cartel operations with Operation Desert Guardian, and working across all levels of government to keep communities safe with the Border Coordination Office.I will continue to work with the federal government on true border security, but we should not force state and local officials to take marching orders from Washington, DC.
The bill directed law enforcement to assist ICE and other federal agencies, “including in the identification, detainment, and deportation of illegal immigrants in the border state.”
It also banned cities and towns from becoming sanctuary cities.
Petersen said Hobbs’ veto surprised him:
“It’s simply saying (that) if someone’s arrested, you’re going to hold them for up to 48 hours until ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) shows up to pick them up. Surely, we want to remove the most dangerous criminals from the street,” he said.
The legislature could overturn Hobbs’ veto with a two-thirds majority.
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