PHOENIX — Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed SB1231, saying on X, formerly Twitter, Monday night that “anti-immigrant legislation to score cheap political points has no place in our state.”
Anti-immigrant legislation to score cheap political points has no place in our state. SB1231 does not secure our border. Instead, it demonizes our communities, hurts businesses and farmers, and burdens law enforcement and our judicial system.
— Governor Katie Hobbs (@GovernorHobbs) March 5, 2024
I know there’s frustration about the… pic.twitter.com/JyGSpvr9tj
Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs was expected to veto the bill that would make it a state crime to enter Arizona illegally between ports of entry.
The state Senate's GOP said the “Arizona Border Invasion Act” would “protect Arizona citizens and communities from the crime and security threats associated with the current border invasion caused by the Biden Administration’s refusal to enforce immigration laws.”
It would allow local law enforcement to arrest non-U.S. citizens who enter Arizona from anywhere but a lawful entrance point. A violation would be a top-tier misdemeanor – or a low-level felony for second offenses.
Federal law already prohibits the unauthorized entry of migrants into the U.S. But Republicans in Arizona and Texas say that the U.S. government is not doing enough and they need additional state powers.
A separate Arizona bill that focuses on trespassing has raised eyebrows because of its author's stated intention that it could be used by farmers to legally kill people crossing their properties. But the text of the bill does not mention migrants or the border, instead making a few changes in an existing law.
