What’s on your ballot: Arizona’s Prop 317 looks to designate drug cartels as terrorist groups

Proposition 317 is one of the more straightforward ballot measures Arizona voters will see in the November election.

Prop 317 would designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations and require the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to use all available authority to address the threats they pose.

Republican lawmakers referred it to the ballot in 2025 through House Concurrent Resolution 2055 after Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill with similar provisions in 2023.

In her veto letter for House Bill 2675, Hobbs said designating terrorist organizations is a federal responsibility.

“Labeling drug cartels as terrorist organizations to deploy state resources is not a real solution and is not a state function,” she wrote.

What are the arguments for Prop 317?

Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro supports Prop 317 because he believes it will help law enforcement agencies go after the drug cartels.

“Number one, it makes sure that our law enforcement agents across the state can use every tool, every resource possible to them to combat this terrorism coming across the border,” Montenegro told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.

Montenegro said the terrorist organization designation will act as a deterrent and prevent drugs from coming across the southern border.

“We also want to send a message to these terrorists, these organized crime entities, that Arizona is not a place that is open for your visit,” Montenegro said.

He also said the work of drug cartels already fits the legal definition for terrorist activity.

What are the arguments against Prop 317?

Prop 317 does not include additional money for law enforcement or harsher penalties.

Raquel Teran, former chair of the Arizona Democratic Party and former Arizona Senate minority leader, opposes it.

“I know that cartels are dangerous. I’m not saying that we should not hold cartels accountable, but this is merely a symbolic … proposition trying to say that we’re doing something when it comes to the border,” Teran said at a KTAR News town hall on Sept. 15.

President Donald Trump designated several drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations last year, but it wasn’t a blanket designation for all cartels.

Like Hobbs, Teran believes designating cartels as terrorist organizations should be left to the federal government.

“This is a bad proposition in the sense that it really does nothing,” Teran said.

What will Arizona voters see about Prop 317 on their ballots?

Here is the official ballot language for Prop 317:

OFFICIAL TITLE: AMENDING TITLE 41, CHAPTER 41, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 41-4256.

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: DECLARES THAT DRUG CARTELS ARE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS; DIRECTS THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO DO EVERYTHING IN ITS AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS DRUG CARTELS.

A “yes” vote shall have the effect of: (1) declaring drug cartels as terrorist organizations and directing the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do everything in its authority to address threats posed by drug cartels; (2) defining “drug cartel” to mean an ongoing formal or informal association of persons engaged in human smuggling, drug trafficking, or any act defined as terrorism under Arizona law; and (3) clarifying that this measure does not support an alien’s asylum claim.

A “no” vote shall have the effect of maintaining the current laws relating to terrorism and the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.

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