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Some Arizona state lawmakers walked out the House floor Wednesday during a committee hearing for two immigration bills, HB 2748 and HB 2821. By Alexis Dominguez, AZ Family The measures would authorize state and local police to arrest migrants suspected of living in the country illegally. Both have drawn comparisons to the controversial SB 1070 immigration law that passed over a decade ago, requiring law enforcement to ask people for proof of immigration status. Republican lawmakers have championed the bills, saying the federal government has failed its duty to secure the border and they would empower state and local law enforcement. Wednesday, both bills were heard by a committee in the Senate, despite Democratic lawmakers claiming the bills would not hold up to constitutional scrutiny if they were signed into law. “The bills that we heard today are part of a package that we’ve already voted on,” said state Sen. Flavio Bravo, a Democrat that represents Phoenix near the I-17 corridor. “Our caucus voted unanimously together united in opposition.” The sponsors have blamed President Joe Biden for a near-record surge of migrants at the border and said a stronger response from the state is needed. Wednesday, Democratic lawmakers criticized how closely it resembles a law in Texas being evaluated by an appeals court. “This is harmful policy that’s going to be costly to the state. It’s going to invite litigation when we’re in a budget deficit,” Flavio said. Some community members also protested the hearing, saying a study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found undocumented immigrants in the United States pay roughly $11.6 billion in taxes every year. “Immigrants and undocumented folks contribute to our economy and right now in our state we’re in a deficit so removing undocumented workers from our state is only going to affect us but affect us by more than $11 billion,” said LUCHA organizer Gina Mendez. State Sen. Rosanna Gabaldon, a Democrat representing parts of north Phoenix, believes these bills, similar to claims made against SB 1070 over a decade ago, would encourage racial profiling. Wednesday, she shared her own experience with that. “To see the fear in my mom’s face, I will never ever want anybody in the state of Arizona to feel the way my mom felt. Being stopped numerous times is unacceptable. Any type of discrimination is unacceptable,” she said. Democratic lawmakers say Republicans are capitalizing on an election year that focuses on immigration. Gov. Katie Hobbs has repeatedly said she will veto both bills if they make it to her desk. Link to original article: https://www.azfamily.com/2024/03/21/arizona-lawmakers-walk-out-senate-committee-protest-tough-immigration-bills/

Federal inaction at the U.S.-Mexico border sparks fight at Arizona Capitol. By Wayne Schutsky, KJZZ Republican state lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs agree — they say the federal government has fallen short in securing the state’s southern border. But they are at odds over a Republican package of bills that would restrict immigration and have drawn comparisons to controversial legislation passed in Arizona over a decade ago. Republicans in the state Legislature passed a law in January that would allow local and state law enforcement to enforce immigration laws. Latino advocacy groups compared the new law to SB 1070, a law the Legislature passed 14 years ago that was partially struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Critics like Alejandra Gomez with Living United for Change in Arizona blamed SB 1070 for a rise in racial profiling against the Latino community. “I was here when our communities were being stopped and persecuted in the streets, at checkpoints, and asked for their papers and being deported,” Gomez said. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the parts of SB 1070 that empowered local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. But the new measure, with its similarities to SB 1070, will never see the inside of a courtroom. Hobbs vetoed it, calling it “anti-immigrant” legislation designed to score political points. She said the legislation would hurt the economy and disproportionately impact the Latino community and other minority groups. “It is a bill that does not do anything to solve the border crisis,” Hobbs said. That legislation is just one of several immigration bills backed by Arizona Republicans this year that likely won’t make it past Hobbs’ veto pen. Another would expand the state’s Castle Doctrine law so ranchers could legally shoot and kill migrants who cross their land. The tug of war over these bills reflects the reality of split government in a border state, where both Republicans and Democrats criticize the federal government’s border policies but disagree on the state’s role in addressing the problem. “Right is right and wrong is wrong, and we need to protect our citizens,” said state Sen. Janae Shamp (R-Surprise), a nurse who sponsored the vetoed bill. She said it was not motivated by racial animus and would simply give local sheriffs the tools they need to combat illegal drugs being smuggled and human trafficking. “So when someone’s not doing their job, where I come from, people die,” Shamp said. “Well, people are dying right now, because of the federal government not doing their job. But Hobbs’ veto powers only go so far. Another Republican proposal would make it tougher for undocumented migrants to work in the state by strengthening enforcement of existing employment laws that require employers to verify a worker’s legal status using the federal E-Verify system. The new measure would add potential felony charges and fines of up to $10,000 for individuals and businesses that attempt to evade that law. If it passes out of the Legislature, it wouldn’t need Hobbs’ signature and would instead go straight to voters on the November ballot. Hobbs called it a political stunt by the bill’s sponsor, House Speaker Ben Toma, who is running for Congress in the heavily Republican Congressional District 8 in the West Valley. “I think what he’s proposing has more to do with his run for Congress than actually solving the problem,” Hobbs said. “But I understand legislators’ frustration, in line with Arizonans’ frustration, about Washington’s failure to act.” According to the Migration Policy Institute, Democratic President Joe Biden has signed 535 immigration-related actions, surpassing the Trump administration’s total. But Toma said the federal government — and Hobbs — aren’t doing enough. “Our border is being overrun by illegal aliens, and it is painfully clear at this point that our governor and our president are doing nothing about it,” Toma said. Hobbs has been almost as vocal as Republicans when it comes to criticizing the Biden administration over its border policies but bristled at Toma’s accusation that she is part of the problem. The governor has implemented her own immigration policies, including a migrant busing program and deploying the National Guard to border communities. “It is an absolute mischaracterization to say that my office hasn’t done anything on border security,” Hobbs said. But the governor said Toma’s employment legislation goes too far — and Latino advocacy groups that gathered at the Arizona Capitol to oppose it agreed. Monica Villalobos with the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said it would lead to racial profiling, unfairly target Latinos and hurt the economy in a state where key sectors like construction are already facing a labor shortage. “Bad policies like these do not strengthen Arizona law. Instead, it restricts the ability of Arizona businesses to thrive, especially when we have a workforce shortage,” Villalobos said. Some of the same groups that came together to oppose SB 1070 in 2010 are part of the coalition opposing the new package of immigration bills. Gomez said the groups are preparing a campaign to convince voters to reject the employment proposal if it reaches the ballot. “But what we are saying, is not today,” Gomez said. “You can’t have that. Not on the backs of our families. Gomez said her group is prepared to knock on 1 million doors in Arizona this year. Link to original article: https://fronterasdesk.org/content/1873371/federal-inaction-us-mexico-border-sparks-fight-arizona-capitol

March 12th, 2024 Dear Governor Hobbs: Since your first day in office, your administration has taken bold and decisive action to address Arizona’s affordable housing crisis, a crisis that was handled with complete disregard by Governor Ducey and the Republican-led Legislature for years. Through last year’s State Budget victory of $150 million to Arizona’s Housing Trust Fund, thousands more working families facing eviction are able to receive housing support, the construction of affordable homes is increasing, and Arizona is finally on the path toward ensuring every Arizonan has an affordable place to call home. However, exclusionary zoning laws mandated by cities and other municipalities prevent Housing Trust Fund dollars from having the maximum impact for our communities. The People First Economy Coalition (PFE) strongly believes that we need a multiplicity of housing policy solutions to reach long-term stability for renters and create opportunities to build wealth through homeownership that is accessible and affordable for all. That is why today we are writing to urge you to sign HB2570 planning; home design; restrictions; prohibition- a bill that reforms racist exclusionary zoning requirements that have segregated neighborhoods, kept rent prices excessively high, and turned affordable homeownership into a luxury. HB2570 would remove exclusionary requirements that many cities have put in place that require large, luxury houses on large lots, inherently preventing working class and even middle class families, especially Black and Latino families, from affording those neighborhoods. By legalizing smaller homes, with fewer frills, on smaller lots, the Arizona Starter Homes Act would expand housing stability and opportunity to communities who desperately need it. PFE is incredibly proud to have worked alongside your administration and Democrats in the Legislature over the past year to accomplish the most meaningful affordable housing investment in the  history of our great state. And, as you conveyed during your State of the State address, last year’s historic investment must be only the beginning. We look forward to continuing working with you on Arizona’s Housing Trust Fund and we hope you will further your commitment to ensuring affordable housing for all by signing HB2570 into law. Thank you for your consideration and for your dedication to building an economy that puts People First. Sincerely, Arizona Center for Empowerment Living United for Change in Arizona Fuerte Arts Movement Arizona Dream Act Coalition Rural Arizona Action Arizona Students’ Association Arizona Poor People’s Campaign Our Voice, Our Vote Arizona Care in Action ADRC Action Arizona Democracy Resource Center Arizona Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander for Equity Rent is Too High Campaign Chispa Arizona

The Democrat-turned-independent senator from Arizona said she will not run for re-election. Some voters who supported her say they are feeling squeezed out of politics. By Jack Healy, The New York Times As a charter-bus operator and a die-hard independent voter in Phoenix, Bj Brooks knows a lot about changing lanes. She was once a registered Republican who voted for Sen. John McCain. Then she became a big fan of Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the Democrat who dropped out of the party to become an independent, then announced last week she was dropping out of the Senate race. Some independent voters in Arizona said they feel as though they have lost a champion. Although Ms. Sinema infuriated many onetime supporters, moderate voters said she spoke for a slice of the country that aches for compromise and feels alienated both from the Democrats and from the Republicans. “We needed her,” Ms. Brooks said. “They bashed her and bashed her from both sides. She had nobody fighting the fight with her.” In more than a dozen interviews, voters who stuck with Ms. Sinema and recently donated to her campaign fund said they had hoped she would defy the political gravity of her declining poll numbers and run for re-election this year in a three-way race — if only to give independents another option. Now they worry that replacing a politician who they saw as a deal-making centrist in the Senate with a more partisan senator could yank American politics farther to the left or right. Ms. Sinema helped hammer out bipartisan laws on infrastructure and guns, but she also thwarted key parts of the Democratic agenda before leaving the party altogether to become an independent. Ms. Sinema helped hammer out bipartisan laws on infrastructure and guns, but also blocked key parts of the Democratic agenda before leaving the party altogether to become an independent.Credit...Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times The number of independent voters in historically Republican Arizona has edged up over the past few years, as fewer voters choose to register with either major party. The state’s 1.4 million voters listed as “other” now make up 34 percent of Arizona’s electorate, far outnumbering Democrats and only slightly behind the number of registered Republicans. While many independent voters are partisans without the label, others sit in the winnable middle. The likely Democratic and Republican nominees to replace Ms. Sinema — Rep. Ruben Gallego of Phoenix and Kari Lake, a Trump-endorsed former candidate for governor — are already scrambling to win over Ms. Sinema’s supporters. Each campaign issued conciliatory statements about Ms. Sinema after she dropped out of the race last week. Mr. Gallego, who had previously called her a “corporate sellout” who was unfit to lead Arizona, thanked her for her service. Ms. Lake, who had accused Ms. Sinema of being partly to blame for the border crisis, said “I know she shares my love for Arizona.” Polls suggested that Ms. Sinema would have drawn about 25 percent of voters in a potential three-way race. Political strategists said that more of them were now likely to turn to Mr. Gallego than to Ms. Lake. But the election may now hinge, the strategists said, on which campaign is better at portraying the other as extremist, and on whether Mr. Gallego or Ms. Lake can better appeal to Arizona’s center on issues like border security, inflation and abortion. In interviews with a dozen Sinema voters — Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans — most said they would vote for Mr. Gallego. Some said he was too liberal, but they balanced his service as a Marine against their concerns. Independents and moderate Republicans said they liked Ms. Lake’s promises to crack down on fentanyl smuggling, but they said they had not forgiven her for telling McCain Republicans to “get the hell out” at a campaign rally during her failed run for governor in 2022. Ms. Lake has said the statement was in jest. Alan F. Castillo, a former Marine who voted for Mr. McCain, said he was drawn to Mr. Gallego largely because of his military background. Even so, he said, he felt torn between the two candidates, who he said appear to spend all day squabbling on social media like “two 6-year-olds in each corner.” William K. Perry, a fourth-generation farmer who grows alfalfa in the Harquahala Valley of western Arizona, said he was leaning toward Mr. Gallego, but found the choice frustrating. “Ruben is pretty far to the left, and Kari is pretty far to the right,” he said. “I don’t know why more people wouldn’t embrace somebody in the middle.” Some liberal activists said it had been years since they had been able to reach Ms. Sinema. But Mr. Perry said the senator always responded to him. When he needed to discuss a section of tax legislation during Mr. Trump’s administration, she had her staff reach out. When Mr. Biden was elected, she helped Mr. Perry get a place on a farm committee, he said. Ms. Sinema, a social worker, entered politics in the early 2000s as an antiwar activist affiliated with the Green Party. But after losing her first race by a wide margin, she joined the Democratic Party and began what analysts called a long upward march toward the political center, modeled after the maverick image of Mr. McCain. Ms. Sinema calls him a personal hero. In 2018, she became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Arizona since the 1980s. She accomplished the feat by running as a conservative Democrat who attracted just enough independents and moderate Republicans who were repulsed by former President Trump. But she drove away her own supporters after she gave a thumbs-down on a vote to raise the minimum wage as part of a Covid relief bill. They seethed after she blocked efforts to set aside the filibuster to pass voting-rights legislation, and protected a tax loophole that benefits wealthy investors. Liberal activists criticized her for taking millions of dollars in donations from the financial industry and wealthy corporate donors. Republican leaders praised her as an effective deal-maker, but Republicans ultimately killed her bipartisan border-security bill. “Kyrsten Sinema did so much for Arizona, but in this time of tribalism, she was a woman without a political home,” said Barrett Marson, a Republican strategist in Phoenix. Alejandra Gomez, the executive director of LUCHA Arizona, a progressive activist group, said the senator abandoned Democratic voters long before they left her. She said Latino volunteers played a pivotal part in Ms. Sinema’s 2018 victory by knocking on 1 million doors to turn out voters, but the senator declined to attend a thank-you event for their volunteers. “Her door was closed to us,” Ms. Gomez said. “She was no longer listening.” Ms. Sinema’s office said the senator met regularly with LUCHA and its members in her first years in office. Her relationship with liberal supporters deteriorated, though, when activists who hoped to pressure Ms. Sinema on voting rights and climate change started protesting at her offices. Juliana Rivera Horwin, 71, an independent voter and retired sixth-grade teacher and union leader in Scottsdale, said she had known Ms. Sinema since the senator was a social worker calling for more help for her low-income Phoenix school. She credited Ms. Sinema with bringing in federal money to build battery factories, solar arrays and microchip plants across Phoenix, and had hoped to vote for Ms. Sinema in a three-way race. She gave money to Ms. Sinema’s campaign, even though Ms. Sinema’s fund-raising numbers had recently dropped and she had taken no steps to gather signatures to get on the ballot in 2024. “I’m not interested in party,” Ms. Horwin said. “I’m really interested in who’s going to get the job done. I’d be voting for her.” Stephanie Rimmer, a moderate Democrat who runs a lighting business in Scottsdale, said she felt that Ms. Sinema had been hounded out of the Senate for governing like a centrist, and for creating a political home for voters who supported abortion rights as well as border security, and who did not spend every day on television. She hopes her successor will follow Ms. Sinema’s mold and leave their political party. “It’s very sad for our country to see her have to retire,” Ms. Rimmer said. “There’s not room for people like us.” Link to original article: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/us/kyrsten-sinema-arizona-moderate-voters.html

The Arizona Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would make it a state crime to cross the border illegally, one of a package of bills that critics have called modern versions of SB 1070. By David Ulloa Jr., Cronkite News Ver mas abajo para leer en español PHOENIX – The Arizona Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would make it a state crime to cross the border illegally, one of a package of bills that critics have called modern versions of SB 1070. Other bills in the package – including a proposed ballot initiative that would expand the use of E-Verify to welfare recipients as well as workers – have been approved in the House with strong Republican support. Critics such as Lena Avalos, a senior policy adviser at Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), see the bills as “a coordinated attack on communities of color and immigrant communities.” They compare this year’s bills to SB 1070, the controversial 2010 Arizona legislation that gave local law enforcement the power to enforce immigration law. “We’re seeing Arizona Republicans push one of the most extreme and racist, anti-immigrant bill packages in the history of this state,” Avalos said. Under HB 2748, HB 2821 and SB 1231, crossing the border between ports of entry without proper documentation would be a state misdemeanor on the first offense, but would escalate to a felony on the second offense. The House on Wednesday gave final approval, on a 31-28 party-line vote, to SB 1231 and sent it to the governor, who is expected to veto it. The governor may not have that option with HCR2060, a resolution that would go straight to the voters for their approval if it is passed by the Legislature. That proposal would expand the use of E-Verify, currently required to check workers’ citizenship status, to confirm that any adults receiving public assistance are lawful residents of the United States. Failure to use the E-Verify program would result in a felony charge. According to the E-Verify website, the U.S. government program compares information from an employee’s I-9 form with U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration records to determine an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States. HCR 2060 resolution passed the House with straight Republican backing on Feb. 22 and is currently pending in the Senate. Republican legislators say ‘we need to control the (migrant) numbers’ In the bills dealing with legal entry into the U.S., local law enforcement would be immune from civil liability for damages caused during enforcement. It would also allow local judges to order the deportation of individuals charged with the crime. U.S. residents and people who qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program between June 15, 2012, and July 16, 2021, would be exempt. The Tucson sector had the most migrant encounters of any sector on the U.S. southern border with over 50,000 in January, and more than 250,000 in the first four months of fiscal 2024, according to Customs and Border Protection data. State Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, one of 13 Republican co-sponsors to SB 1231, said he supports the bill because he believes the border is in chaos and that the U.S. needs to secure its southern border. Kavanagh said he believes the “federal government has turned the U.S. Border Patrol into a welcome wagon” that has been redirected from apprehension and deportation to the processing and transportation of people he believes are “making bogus migrant claims.” Kavanagh said the U.S. needs to control the number of people entering the country so that it is not overwhelmed and “that our workforce is not diluted.” “We need to control the numbers so we can continue to have legal immigration from countries all over the world,” Kavanagh said. “There are people on waiting lists who want to come into this country, but if their slots are being filled by millions of people pouring in illegally, these law-abiding decent people, many of whom have job skills that we need, will not get into the country.” The introduction of these bills has created an uproar from Arizona advocacy groups, such as LUCHA, which dubbed them racist and xenophobic in a news release. Barrio Defense Committees and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network called for a national and international boycott against the state of Arizona at a Feb. 1 news conference. Salvador Reza, a community coordinator, said that the border and current political climate is anti-immigrant. “They see us as illegal aliens. But the thing is, they don’t realize that we have been going back and forth for 500 years and even longer because we are descendants of the very communities that are still here, the Indigenous communities. So we don’t feel like we are invaders. We feel like we belong in this land,” Reza said. State Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, another sponsor of SB1231, said during Senate floor debate on the bill that it has nothing to do with skin color. “Don’t tell me what my vote is about. Don’t ever say that you know who I am inside because I must be racist against my own children,” Gowan said in reference to his mother-in-law who is from Mexico. LUCHA’s Avalos said she believes that no one is asking for this bill. “I think people are asking for safer communities. They’re asking for affordable housing. They’re asking for quality health care and education. And this doesn’t do any of those things,” Avalos said. Link to original article: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/02/29/arizona-republicans-pass-immigration-bills-border-crossing-everify/ PHOENIX – La Legislatura de Arizona dio la aprobación final el miércoles a un proyecto de ley que convertiría en delito estatal cruzar la frontera sin la documentación apropiada, uno de un paquete de proyectos de ley que los críticos han llamado versiones modernas de la SB 1070. Otros proyectos de ley en el paquete, incluida una iniciativa electoral propuesta que ampliaría el uso de E-Verify a los beneficiarios de asistencia social, así como a los trabajadores, han sido aprobados en la Cámara de Representantes con un fuerte apoyo republicano, pero aún no han llegado a la gobernadora. Críticos como Lena Ávalos, asesora principal de políticas de Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), ven los proyectos de ley como “un ataque coordinado contra las comunidades de color y las comunidades de inmigrantes”. Comparan los proyectos de ley de este año con el SB 1070, la controvertida legislación de Arizona de 2010 que otorgó a las fuerzas del orden locales el poder de hacer cumplir la ley de inmigración. “Estamos viendo a los republicanos de Arizona impulsar uno de los paquetes de proyectos de ley más extremos, racistas y antiinmigrantes en la historia de este estado”, dijo Ávalos. Bajo las leyes HB 2748, HB 2821 y SB 1231, cruzar la frontera entre los puertos de entrada sin la documentación adecuada sería un delito menor estatal en la primera ofensa, pero se convertiría en un delito grave en la segunda ofensa. La Cámara de Representantes dio el miércoles su aprobación final, en una votación de 31 a favor y 28 en contra a la SB 1231 y se la envió a lagobernadora, quien cumplió su amenaza de vetar el proyecto de ley que, según ella, estaba diseñado únicamente para “ganar puntos políticosbaratos”. Hobbs dijo el lunes que la SB 1231 no hace nada para asegurar la frontera, mientras que “demoniza a nuestras comunidades, perjudica a las empresas y a los agricultores, y sobrecarga a las fuerzas del orden y a nuestro sistema judicial”. Sobre la base de los estrechos márgenes de aprobación en la Legislatura, no parece haber suficientes votos para anular ese veto. Es posible que la gobernadora no tenga esa opción con HCR2060, una resolución que iría directamente a los votantes para su aprobación si es aprobada por la Legislatura. Esa propuesta ampliaría el uso de E-Verify, actualmente requerido para verificar el estado de ciudadanía de los trabajadores, para confirmar que cualquier adulto que reciba asistencia pública tenga la documentación migratoria adecuada en los Estados Unidos. No usar el programa E-Verify resultaría en un cargo por delito grave. Según el sitio web de E-Verify, el programa del gobierno de EE. UU. compara la información del formulario I-9 de un empleado con los registros del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de EE. UU. y la Administración del Seguro Social para determinar la elegibilidad de un empleado para trabajar en los Estados Unidos. La resolución HCR 2060 fue aprobada por la Cámara de Representantes con el respaldo de los republicanos el 22 de febrero y actualmente está pendiente en el Senado. Los legisladores republicanos dicen que “tenemos que controlar el número (de migrantes)” En los proyectos de ley que tratan de la entrada legal a los EE. UU., las fuerzas del orden locales serían inmunes a la responsabilidad civil por los daños causados durante la aplicación de la ley. También permitiría a los jueces locales ordenar la deportación de las personas acusadas del delito. Los residentes de EE. UU. y las personas que calificaron para el programa de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia entre el 15 de junio de 2012 y el 16 de julio de 2021 estarían exentos. El sector Tucson tuvo la mayor cantidad de encuentros con migrantes que cualquier sector en la frontera sur de EE. UU., con más de 50,000 en enero, y más de 250,000 en los primeros cuatro meses del año fiscal 2024, según datos de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza. El senador estatal John Kavanagh, republicano de Fountain Hills, uno de los 13 patrocinadores republicanos de la SB 1231, dijo que apoya el proyecto de ley porque cree que la frontera está en caos y que Estados Unidos necesita asegurar su frontera sur. Kavanagh dijo que cree que el “gobierno federal ha convertido a la Patrulla Fronteriza de Estados Unidos en un vagón de bienvenida” que ha sido redirigido de la aprehensión y la deportación al procesamiento y transporte de personas que cree que están “haciendo reclamos falsos de migrantes”. Kavanagh dijo que Estados Unidos necesita controlar el número de personas que ingresan al país para que no se vea abrumado y “que nuestra fuerza laboral no se diluya”. “Necesitamos controlar los números para que podamos seguir teniendo inmigración legal de países de todo el mundo”, dijo Kavanagh. “Hay personas en listas de espera que quieren venir a este país, pero si sus espacios están siendo ocupados por millones de personas que llegan ilegalmente, estas personas decentes respetuosas de la ley, muchas de las cuales tienen habilidades laborales que necesitamos, no entrarán al país”. La introducción de estos proyectos de ley ha creado un alboroto por parte de los grupos de defensa de Arizona, como LUCHA, que los calificó de racistas y xenófobos en un comunicado de prensa. Los Comités de Defensa del Barrio y la Red Nacional de Organización de Jornaleros llamaron a un boicot nacional e internacional contra el estado de Arizona en una conferencia de prensa el 1 de febrero. Salvador Reza, coordinador comunitario, dijo que la frontera y el clima político actual son antiinmigrantes. “Nos ven como extranjeros ilegales. Pero la cosa es que no se dan cuenta de que hemos estado yendo y viniendo durante 500 años e incluso más porque somos descendientes de las mismas comunidades que todavía están aquí, las comunidades indígenas. Así que no nos sentimos como invasores. Sentimos que pertenecemos a esta tierra”, dijo Reza. El senador estatal David Gowan, republicano de Sierra Vista, otro patrocinador de la SB 1231, dijo durante el debate en el Senado sobre el proyecto de ley que no tiene nada que ver con el color de la piel. “No me digan de qué se trata mi voto. Nunca digas que sabes quién soy por dentro porque debo ser racista contra mis propios hijos”, dijo Gowan en referencia a su suegra que es de México. Ávalos, de LUCHA, dijo que cree que nadie está pidiendo este proyecto de ley. Creo que la gente está pidiendo comunidades más seguras. Piden viviendas asequibles. Piden atención médica y educación de calidad. Y esto no hace ninguna de esas cosas”, dijo Ávalos. Enlace original: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/03/11/legisladores-de-arizona-aprueban-proyectos-de-ley-de-inmigracion-sobre-el-cruce-fronterizo/

In a state known for its dramatic Republican-controlled Legislature, relaxed gun laws and even more relaxed marijuana laws, U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was in some ways a fitting unpredictable representative. By Yana Kunichoff, AZ Luminaria Sinema was a local Green Party candidate who left the Democratic party to become an independent and has alternately aligned with both Republicans and Democrats, at times spurning both. Sinema’s inconsistencies have baffled her congressional colleagues and political pundits, as well as voters. With this week’s announcement that she won’t run for reelection to the state’s U.S. Senate seat, attention has now turned to another type of independent, also unpredictable and much harder to categorize: Arizona’s 1.4 million unaffiliated voters. “Independents span the spectrum in ideological terms and on issues. But what they have in common is — individually and collectively — they are making a statement of noncompliance with the existing political arrangement,” said Jacqueline Salit, an independent voter in Yavapai County and the president of Independent Voting, a national organizing center. Those voters are now Arizona’s second-largest voting bloc. While they share a concern with the state of America’s two-party system, how they cast their ballots is likely to play a divided and consequential role in deciding which party controls the U.S. Senate. The rise in independents could influence voting access laws in Arizona, particularly when it comes to partisan systems. Currently, even though all Arizonans’ taxpayer dollars fund the state’s party-based presidential primaries, independents are barred from participating unless they change their political affiliation to a major party. A non-partisan primary system was supported by 87% of Arizona independents surveyed in May 2023 by the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University. Salit was a co-author of the report. Unlike the Presidential Preference Election in March, all registered voters can cast a ballot in state-level primary elections such as the Senate race on July 30 and in the Nov. 5 general election. Upcoming election dates For more, check the Arizona Secretary of State’s website here: https://azsos.gov/elections/voters/elections-calendar-upcoming-events March 15, 2024 – Deadline to vote early in-person for the March 19, 2024 Presidential Preference Election by 7 p.m. March 19, 2024 – Presidential Preference Election July 30, 2024 – Primary Election November 5, 2024 – General Election Unaffiliated voters, which include independents, trail Republican registered voters by less than 10,000 people, according to January 2024 voter registration numbers, the latest available from Arizona’s Secretary of State’s office. In total, the January report shows 34.38% of Arizona voters were independent, or not affiliated with a political party, compared to 34.58% who said they were Republican. Independent voters are included under the category of “other” in voter registration data. At a close third are 29.55% of Arizona voters registered as Democrats. Other parties Arizonans have aligned with are the bipartisan No Labels, with 0.63% of registered voters, the Libertarian Party, with 0.79%, and the Green Party with 0.06% of registered voters. Data shifts as Arizona voters continue to register. As recently as October 2023, unaffiliated voters were the largest group of registered voters in the state. In the 2024 election, those voters will choose between Democrat Congressman Ruben Gallego or a Republican frontrunner to be Arizona’s new state senator. Recent polls showed both Gallego and Kari Lake as possible frontrunners without Sinema in the race. Lake leads Gallego by 45% to 42% in a two-way race, according to a February 2024 survey from Rasmussen Reports. Another February survey, by Emerson College Polling/The Hill, put Gallego at 46% of the vote ahead of Lake at 39%. Regardless of the future front runner, it’s evident that in a three-way race in which Sinema was a candidate, she would have pulled voters from both major party candidates. (The Republican primary to decide whether Lake or Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb will run on the Republican ticket is in July.) With Sinema out of the race, the pressure is on for both parties to sway independent voters. Candidates woo independent voters In a video message March 5 announcing her departure, Sinema pointed to partisan vitriol in America’s political system as the reason she would not run for reelection. “Despite modernizing our infrastructure, ensuring clean water, delivering good jobs and safer communities, Americans still choose to retreat farther to their partisan corners,” she said. “The only political victories that matter these days are symbolic, attacking your opponents on cable news or social media.” Sinema received criticism for retreating from Arizona constituents, with some state groups seeking her out to hold her accountable. She is one of a handful of senators who have stepped outside the traditional political alliances of their home parties and, over the past year or so, announced they would not run for reelection. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, are two others. That’s setting up the rest of Arizona’s race for U.S. Senate to be a referendum on how independent voters see politicians seeking to represent them, and the extent to which staunchly partisan-aligned candidates can win their votes. Polls show Lake is currently leading the Republican primary. A February 2024 survey of Republican and independent voters likely to take part in the Republican primary found that 55% said they would vote for Lake, compared to 26% for Lamb, Rasmussen Reports found. The former local TV anchor turned Trump-endorsed candidate sent a message to her email list in the days following Sinema’s announcement. She highlighted fears of what would happen to the state if Gallego wins and spoke of deep divides between the two candidates. “@RubenGallego is on the verge of being a full-blown Marxist,” Lake wrote in a post on X. “I’m going to defeat him, and I’m going to take the needs of the people of Arizona to Washington, DC, and represent THEIR interests instead of the radical fringe.” Gallego is a former Marine Corps member who has represented Arizona in Congress since 2014. He’s the leading Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb speaks to the Pinal County Board of Supervisors about his use of an inmate welfare fund to purchase guns, vests and ammunition on Wednesday, Oct. 18 in Florence. Lamb, in a statement on his website, said he expected that Sinema dropping out of the race would shift independent voters to his campaign. “Kyrsten Sinema’s electoral strength has always been her ability to attract large numbers of Independent voters in Arizona. With her departure from the race, polls indicate most of those Independents will vote for Sheriff Mark Lamb in a general election,” he said. Dave Smith, chairman of the Pima County Republican Party, says he expects a number of Sinema voters to shift to supporting a Republican candidate. “Most of the independents I know once were Republican,” said Smith. “I think they’re gonna come back.” Still, Smith said he would caution any Republican candidates planning to switch to a more moderate stance to gain independent voters. “Republicans lately have not done well when they have moderated their positions,” he said. “With Trump becoming the singular candidate, I expect both the establishment wing and the MAGA wing” to unify. While Republicans see Sinema stepping out of the race as a positive sign for their candidates, so do progressive groups. ​​Voter advocacy groups vocally opposed to Sinema applauded her decision not to run, and voiced their concern about the Senate seat going to a Republican candidate. “Sinema’s biggest accomplishment as Senator was today’s decision not to seek reelection,” said Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director of Living United for Change in Arizona, or LUCHA. LUCHA is expected to be a significant force in door-knocking efforts for Democrats this year, particularly among Latino voters, the state’s second-largest demographic voting bloc after White voters. Gallego made lambasting Sinema’s voting record a core part of his initial campaign messaging. Upon his Arizona congressional colleague stepping out of the race, he thanked Sinema and called for unity beyond party politics. “I want to thank @SenatorSinema for her nearly two decades of service to our state,” he said on social media. “It’s time Democrats, Independents, and Republicans come together and reject Kari Lake and her dangerous positions.” Pollster and political strategist Paul Bentz, with the Phoenix-based public affairs firm HighGround, Inc. expects Sinema’s departure to be positive for Gallego. In part, because Gallego now has the opportunity to follow Sinema’s playbook to draw in unaffiliated voters. “Sinema laid down a template that made it less partisan and more about being an Arizonan,” he said. That is already evident in Gallego’s responses to Sinema’s departure. In his post wishing her well, Gallego also named several issues he hoped his supporters would rally around: Protecting abortion access, tackling housing affordability, securing our water supply, defending our democracy — all of this and more is on the line.” Gallego shared on social media Thursday that his team had raised $1 million in donations in 24 hours following Sinema’s announcement. Bentz notes that the issues Gallego pinpoints cut across partisan divides, securing Arizona’s water supply in particular. “Not all of those are progressive leaning issues,” he said. “Some of those are ones that are big in the independent unaffiliated community.” Surveys show independent voters united on non-partisan primaries Independents may not necessarily share political viewpoints, but they do share some values. Polling shows they want an American political system that offers more support for conducting elections outside a partisan system. Top state and local election officials should be required to take an oath to function in a non-partisan manner, according to 94% of independent voters surveyed by the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy. The conversation playing out in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race is similar to buzz at the presidential level. Disaffected party members and independents are considering the costs and complications of running a third party candidate to challenge Biden and Trump at the national level. Nationally, polling by Gallup from October 2023 shows that there is broad support for a third U.S. political party. Sixty-three percent of U.S. adults surveyed told the polling company that the Republican and Democratic parties do “such a poor job” representing Americans that “a third major party is needed.” Salit suggests candidates who wish to woo independent voters should consider taking up the mantle of expanding election infrastructure to give independents more access. Bentz suggests campaigns who wish to win over independent voters to their candidate should start now. He warned against getting caught up in focusing on primary elections and not building a strategy to communicate with undecided independents. “They are generally left in the dark and ignored. That leaves a lot of voters feeling unengaged,” Bentz said, noting those voters often make a critical difference when the general election takes place. “Any campaign that wants to be competitive among  independent and unaffiliated voters needs to find the time and money and effort to speak to those voters.” Independent voters will only grow in Arizona, Salit anticipates. That means the sooner America’s political infrastructure moves beyond a strict two-party system, the better, she argues. Sinema warned that there was little space for compromise in American political life. “Compromise is a dirty word. We’ve arrived at that crossroad, and we chose anger and division,” she said in her video. “I believe in my approach. But, it’s not what America wants right now,” she said. Salit, of Independent Voting, draws a distinction between what political parties want and what voters want. “It is not where the political establishment is at, it’s not where the political parties are at, it’s not where the legal structures that govern the process right now are,” she said. “I do think it is where the American people are at. Independents are the future of this country.” Link to original article: https://azluminaria.org/2024/03/08/with-sinema-out-of-the-senate-race-attention-shifts-to-another-kind-of-independent-arizonas-1-4-million-unaffiliated-voters/

Sinema Still Doesn’t Get It, Arizonans Are Fed Up with Her. March 5, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PHOENIX – Today, Senator Sinema has decided not to run for reelection and blames Arizonans for being out of touch with her as the reason for not running. Sinema had the opportunity to apologize to Arizona whose trust she betrayed daily as Senator. She had the opportunity to explain why she turned her back on Arizonans when they needed her most. Instead, she takes zero accountability and points the finger at the very people she failed to serve. Sinema has no viable path to victory and would have been a spoiler in the race. Sinema betrayed Arizona, contributed to the corrupt political system, and was an impediment to progress and reform. “Sinema’s biggest accomplishment as Senator was today’s decision not to seek reelection,” said Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director of Living United for Change in Arizona. “Sinema was a major obstacle to President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan. The Senator had the opportunity to stand with us to protect our water and environment, defend our democracy, reform our healthcare system, guaruntee paid family and medical leave, and pass comprehensive immigration reform. Every time, she chose profit, corporations, and self-service over the people of Arizona. That is how Senator Sinema will be remembered. Her legacy will be one of disappointment and utter betrayal,” Gomez continued. “Arizona deserves better leadership, someone who is ready and poised to represent our great state.  As a state, it is time to turn the page and focus on electing a senator who will fight for our communities, and embody our values. A Kari Lake victory is an unacceptable outcome, it will be LUCHA’s top priority to ensure Arizona doesn’t fall under the hands of a Donald Trump lackey.” ### About Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA): Living United for Change in Arizona is a grassroots organization dedicated to building power with Arizona's working families. LUCHA fights for racial, economic, and social justice, striving to create a just and equitable society for all. Check us out on social media and our website for more information.

The Veto Queen struck on Monday, denouncing the bill as a GOP effort to “score cheap political points.” By Matt Hennie, Phoenix New Times The Veto Queen is back. After a record-shattering 143 vetoes in 2023, Gov. Katie Hobbs dusted off her veto stamp on Monday and delivered her first rejection of a bill in 2024. The victim? Senate Bill 1231. The Republican-controlled House was so enamored with the bill that it suspended its rules on Wednesday and rushed it to a 31-28 vote a week after its 16-13-1 approval in the Senate. Hobbs greeted the legislation with a veto. “The bill does not secure our border, will be harmful for communities and businesses in our state, and burdensome for law enforcement personnel and the state judicial system,” Hobbs said in her veto statement. “Further, this bill presents significant constitutional concerns and would be certain to mire the State in costly and protracted legislation,” she added. SB 1231 — titled the “Arizona Border Invasion Act” — allowed local police to arrest migrants suspected of crossing into the state at places other than ports of entry and charge them with a misdemeanor. A first offense carried a jail sentence of up to six months. The bill also shielded law enforcement from civil liabilities On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted a nearly identical new law in Texas that also empowered local police to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally. SB 1231 is one of three measures targeting immigration that Republicans are pushing through the legislature. House Bill 2821 is similar to SB 1231, while House Concurrent Resolution 2060 is a ballot measure that would bar undocumented immigrants from obtaining many taxpayer-funded social benefits. The measures have come under sharp criticism — even from some Republicans — who contend they are an escalation of the state GOP’s war on immigrants without permanent legal status. In a video statement on Monday, Hobbs dismissed the bills as an effort to “score cheap political points.” ‘Blatantly unconstitutional and extreme’ Republicans blasted Hobbs’ veto, while progressive groups, including the ACLU, praised her action. State Sen. Janae Shamp, SB 1231’s sponsor, said in a statement from Senate Republicans that the veto “was a slap in the face” to law enforcement. "The Legislature did its job to protect our citizens, but Governor Hobbs failed to do hers,” Shamp said. “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.” The ACLU of Arizona praised Hobbs for her veto. “SB 1231 was a blatantly unconstitutional and extreme anti-immigrant measure that would have sent Arizona back to a time when racial profiling ran rampant, and the state’s reputation and economy took a brutal blow,” said Noah Schramm, border policy strategist for the ACLU of Arizona. “SB 1231 has no place in Arizona where immigrants are our friends, family and neighbors; but rather than protecting Arizona communities, extremist lawmakers are only concerned with inciting hateful divisions,” Schramm added. Living United for Change in Arizona, a political organization known colloquially as LUCHA, said the veto was a blow to the “Republicans’ hate-filled agenda.” “SB 1231 doesn’t solve the humanitarian crisis at the border, and it would have inflicted tremendous harm to Arizona communities,” Alejandra Gomez, LUCHA’s executive director, said Monday in a prepared statement. “While Republicans have abandoned morality and democratic principles, today is a reflection of the power of democracy and the power of people when they come together to fight against racism, hate and just plain bad policy.” Here are all the bills Katie Hobbs vetoed in 2024 (so far) Will Hobbs break her own veto record? She’s off to a slow start. In 2024, her first veto didn’t happen until March 4. By that point in 2023, Hobbs notched 15 vetoes on her way to 143 for the year. Senate Bill 1231: Local arrests of migrants Hobbs’ vetoed the bill on March 4. The measure allowed local police to arrest non-U.S. citizens suspected of illegally crossing the border between Arizona and Mexico even though border enforcement is a federal issue. “This bill presents significant constitutional concerns and would be certain to mire the State in costly and protracted legislation,” Hobbs said in her veto letter. Link to original article: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/every-bill-arizona-governor-katie-hobbs-vetoed-in-2024-and-why-18412014

LUCHA Played Critical Role in Derailing Legislation. March 4, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PHOENIX - Last week Republicans silenced Arizonans from the legislative process by making a special motion to compel SB 1231 state crime; illegal border crossings to the floor immediately for a floor reading and vote, passing one of the most extreme and racist anti-immigrant bills of our time without Arizonans being able to weigh in. Despite their undemocratic efforts, we are thrilled to announce that Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed SB 1231. Throughout the 2024 legislative session, Living United for Change in Arizona has tirelessly opposed Republican's discriminatory and racist agenda. LUCHA and its members have dedicated countless hours to providing critical testimony in hearings, mobilizing the community and partners, and engaging with lawmakers behind the scenes. LUCHA has been at the forefront of efforts to kill the SB 1070 2.0 legislative package, working relentlessly to safeguard the civil and human rights of all Arizonans. “Today we thank Governor Hobbs for striking a major blow to Arizona Republicans’ attempt to bring in a new era of anti-immigrant hate and legalized racial profiling to our state. SB 1231 doesn’t solve the humanitarian crisis at the border, and it would have inflicted tremendous harm to Arizona communities.” Said Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director of LUCHA. Gomez continued, “While Republicans have abandoned morality and democratic principles, today is a reflection of the power of democracy and the power of people when they come together to fight against racism, hate, and just plain bad policy.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Monday vetoed a controversial bill that would have given local law enforcement authority to detain and arrest immigrants with blanket immunity. By Camaron Stevenson, The Copper Courier Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Monday vetoed a controversial bill that would have given local law enforcement authority to detain and arrest immigrants with blanket immunity. The bill offered no logistical or humanitarian solutions to address issues at the US-Mexico border, and instead focused mainly on punishment and incarceration. “This bill does not secure our border, will be harmful for communities and businesses in our state, and burdensome for law enforcement personnel and the state judicial system,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. “Furthermore, this bill presents significant constitutional concerns and would be certain to mire the State in costly and protracted litigation.” Senate Bill 1231 was rushed through the state legislature last month, and was discussed in only one committee meeting open to the public. Despite public outcry from immigration advocates, business owners, and Democratic legislators over the bill, Republican lawmakers voted  to pass it after blocking members of the legislature from debating the proposal. Hobbs came out against the bill two days before it was sent to her desk, accusing Republican legislators of pushing unconstitutional, “job killing, anti-immigrant legislation meant to score cheap political points.” The bill offered no logistical or humanitarian solutions to address issues at the US-Mexico border, and instead focused mainly on punishment and incarceration. If the proposal had been signed into law, it would have: Given local law enforcement authority to detain and arrest immigrants. Granted law enforcement blanket immunity while enforcing immigration laws, removing any form of accountability for potential misconduct. Restricted aid for refugees and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution. Made entering the US outside a port of entry a state crime. Given local judges authority in immigration cases. “Today Governor Hobbs strikes a major blow in Arizona Republicans’ attempt to bring in a new era of anti-immigrant hate and legalized racial profiling to our state. HB 2748/SB 1231 doesn’t solve the humanitarian crisis at the border, and it will inflict tremendous harm to Arizona’s communities.” Said Alejandra Gomez, Executive Director of Living United for Change in Arizona. “While Republicans have abandoned morality and democratic principles, today is a reflection of the power of democracy and the power of people when they come together to fight against racism, hate, and just plain bad policy.” Had SB 1231 become law, it could have prompted lawsuits alleging racial profiling, as Arizona’s 2010 “show me your papers” law, SB 1070, did. The lawsuits that eventually overturned that law were filed before it could ever be enforced, and it cost the state at least $1.4 million to defend in court. Another nearly identical bill, House Bill 2748, is also making its way through the legislature. Hobbs is expected to veto that as well. Link to original article: https://coppercourier.com/2024/03/04/breaking-hobbs-vetoes-anti-immigration-bill-calls-for-end-to-political-stunts/

Gov. Katie Hobbs issued a stinging rebuke to Arizona Republicans on Monday, wielding her veto stamp to reject a GOP priority proposal that sought to give the state the power to arrest and deport migrants. By Gloria Gomez, AZ Mirror The veto is Hobbs’ first for the 2024 legislative session, following a recording-breaking 143 issued last year, and further cements a contentious relationship with the Republican legislative majority, which championed the proposal as a party priority. Titled the “Arizona Border Invasion Act,” Senate Bill 1231 would have made it a class 1 misdemeanor to cross the state’s southern border anywhere but at the ports of entry and allowed local police officers to arrest migrants suspected of violating the act. Those convicted of a first offense would have faced a six-month jail sentence unless they agreed to return to Mexico voluntarily. While Republican lawmakers repeatedly pointed to Hobbs’ criticism of the Biden administration’s immigration policies as an indicator that she might support their proposal, that hope didn’t come to fruition. In a veto letter, Hobbs echoed the criticism of immigrant rights groups and businesses, saying it was the wrong move for Arizona and would only lead to legal challenges. “This bill does not secure our border, will be harmful for communities and businesses in our state, and burdensome for law enforcement personnel and the state judicial system,” she wrote. “Further, this bill presents significant constitutional concerns and would be certain to mire the State in costly and protracted litigation.” A near-identical law in Texas is currently being challenged by the U.S. Department of Justice over its unconstitutionality, and has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Arizona has previously attempted to enforce immigration law and weathered lawsuits because of it. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down three of four provisions in SB1070, the state’s notorious “show me your papers” law that allowed local police officers to detain and investigate people suspected of being in the country illegally. The high court ruled that enforcing immigration law is under the sole and supreme authority of the federal government. Republicans slammed the governor’s action, accusing Hobbs of “unleashing chaos” on the state and denouncing her as an “accomplice” of Biden. “The Legislature did its job to protect our citizens, but Governor Hobbs failed to do hers,” Sen. Janae Shamp, the bill sponsor, said in an emailed statement. “Arizonans want and deserve safe communities. Our local, county, and state law enforcement officers are pleading for help, and they support this legislation to protect our citizens.” No law enforcement agencies registered in support of the measure or showed up to voice approval of it during committee hearings. The Republican from Surprise added that Hobbs’ veto disrespects law enforcement officials and victims of crime across the state, equating migrants with criminals. “This veto is a slap in the face to (law enforcement), Arizona’s victims of border-related crimes, and other citizens who will inevitably feel the wrath of this border invasion in one way, shape, or form at the hands of Hobbs and Biden,” Shamp said. Immigrant and human rights organizations lauded Hobbs’ veto, criticizing the measure as an extension of SB1070. Noah Schramm, the border policy strategist for the Arizona chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, celebrated the veto and said the proposal would only have led to widespread racial profiling. “Just like its predecessor, SB1070, this bill would have illegally side-stepped protections guaranteed under federal law, led to even greater harassment of communities of color, and advanced a dishonest and dangerous narrative about immigrants in our state,” he said in an emailed statement. “Legislation like SB1231 has no place in Arizona where immigrants are our friends, family, and neighbors; but rather than protecting Arizona communities, extremist lawmakers are only concerned with inciting hateful divisions”. Alejandra Gomez, the executive director of Living United for Change in Arizona, a pro-immigrant advocacy group that has voiced strong opposition to the bill, said the measure was the wrong response to a humanitarian crisis. “Today we thank Governor Hobbs for striking a major blow to Arizona Republicans’ attempt to bring in a new era of anti-immigrant hate and legalized racial profiling to our state. SB1231 doesn’t solve the humanitarian crisis at the border, and it would have inflicted tremendous harm to Arizona communities,” she said. Link to original article: https://azmirror.com/briefs/hobbs-vetoes-gop-bill-to-usurp-enforcement-of-federal-immigration-laws/

Este proyecto buscaba convertir la inmigración ilegal en delito estatal, otorgando a los agentes locales la autoridad para arrestar a personas en la frontera, por lo que era considerada la nueva SB 1070. Por Univision Arizona PHOENIX, Arizona. – La gobernadora Katie Hobbs anunció esta tarde a través de un comunicado, que vetará la polémica propuesta de ley anti-inmigrante del Senado Estatal denominada SB 1231. Este proyecto buscaba convertir la inmigración ilegal en delito estatal, otorgando a los agentes locales la autoridad para arrestar a personas en la frontera, por lo que era considerada la nueva SB 1070. La mandataria estatal aseguró que este proyecto de ley no aseguraba la frontera, y por el contrario, perjudicaba a las comunidades y negocios del estado. Agregó que la SB 1231 significaba además “una carga para el personal encargado de hacer cumplir la ley” en Arizona, al darles tareas exclusiva de las autoridades federales. “Como dije la semana pasada, la legislación antiinmigrante para ganar puntos políticos baratos, no tiene cabida en nuestro estado… Hoy estoy cumpliendo mi promesa”, señaló. Hobbs dijo entender la frustración que existe por lo que llamó “el fracaso del gobierno federal en asegurar la frontera”, pero recalcó que leyes como esta, no son la solución. Organizaciones aplauden decisión La organización Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) aplaudió la decisión de la gobernadora Hobbs de vetar al que considera uno de los proyectos de ley antiinmigrantes más extremos y racistas. “Hoy agradecemos a la gobernadora Hobbs por asestar un duro golpe al intento de los republicanos de Arizona de iniciar una nueva era de odio antiinmigrante”, dijo Alejandra Gómez, directora de LUCHA. Agregó que la SB 1231 no resuelve la crisis humanitaria en la frontera, y habría infligido un daño tremendo a las comunidades de Arizona. “Hoy es un reflejo del poder de la democracia”, afirmó. Enlace original: https://www.univision.com/local/arizona-ktvw/gobernadora-katie-hobbs-veta-ley-anti-inmigrante-sb-1231