Conservatives in the Arizona legislature are pushing to put a Texas-style anti-illegal immigration law on the ballot in November after the state’s Democratic governor vetoed a similar bill earlier this year. The measure that was approved by the Republican-controlled legislature in February would have made illegal immigration a state crime and allowed police to arrest those suspected of being in the state illegally. It would have also made it a felony for illegal migrants who crossed the border after being deported, as well as those who have been ordered to leave the state but refused to comply.
The bill was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in March, who stated that the bill would not secure the border and would be harmful for businesses, communities, and law enforcement personnel in the state. Now, conservatives in the state’s Freedom Caucus are pushing to add the measure to the ballot in November, as the governor is unlikely to sign it. State Rep. Alex Kolodin believes that there is support in the legislature for the bill, but it is about making it actually happen. He is calling on leadership to convene a special hearing to waive the past deadline for adding the measure to the ballot.
Kolodin expressed confidence that if the measure was added to the ballot, it would pass. He believes that immigration is a key issue for Republicans in Arizona and that a large majority of Arizonans would be supportive of the bill. The push by Arizona to implement a Texas-style anti-illegal immigration law is part of a trend among red states that are taking matters related to immigration into their own hands in response to what they see as inaction from the federal government. Similar measures are being introduced in other states, including Louisiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Georgia.
Conservatives argue that the federal government is failing in its duty to protect states from what they see as an invasion of illegal immigrants, and they believe that they must take matters into their own hands to ensure the safety and well-being of their constituents. The push for the anti-illegal immigration ballot measure in Arizona is seen as a response to the ongoing crisis at the southern border and the perceived lack of action from the federal government in addressing the issue. If passed, the measure would make illegal immigration a state crime and give police the authority to arrest those suspected of being in the state illegally.
