Arizona Senate president ‘surprised’ after governor vetoes immigration enforcement bill

PHOENIX – Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen reacted Monday after Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed the Republican-backed Arizona ICE Act last week.

“I was surprised,” Petersen told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News.

Petersen sponsored SB1164 — aka the Arizona Immigration, Cooperation and Enforcement Act — which would have required state and local law officials to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration enforcement.

“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.

What does immigration enforcement bill include?

Under the proposal, local and state officials couldn’t prohibit or restrict cooperation with federal immigration efforts or block the use of federal databases and grant funds related to immigration enforcement.

In addition, state prisons and county jails would be required to enter agreements with Washington to temporarily house people with detainers. Local agencies would be required to comply with detainers and tell judges who are determining bail when a given individual has an immigration detainer.

Petersen said the legislation would have increased safety for the public and law enforcement “because now you don’t have to go into the community to pick these people up. You’d pick them up from prison or from jail.”

Why did Hobbs veto Arizona ICE Act?

In Friday’s veto letter, Hobbs said the state should retain control over its border security policies.

“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, D.C.,” the Democratic governor wrote.

A progressive public policy group called Our Voice, Our Vote Arizona applauded Hobbs for rejecting the Arizona ICE Act.

“Even in normal times, bills like this make our communities less safe, not more,” Sena Mohammed, the group’s executive director, said in a statement Monday. “But especially now, at a time when federal agents are kidnapping law-abiding visa holders and refugees off the streets and sending them to foreign prisons without any sort of due process, the last thing Arizonans need is more to fear.”

Hobbs was busy Friday, signing 38 bills and vetoing 33. They were sent to her desk before she announced Thursday she will veto all new bills until the Legislature passes an acceptable bipartisan plan to fund a state agency that provides services for people with disabilities.

Arizona ICE Act isn’t necessarily dead

Meanwhile, Petersen said Republican lawmakers might discuss the possibility of referring the Arizona ICE Act to the ballot in 2026. That’s what happened last year when Hobbs vetoed the Secure the Border Act and voters ended up approving it as Proposition 314.

However, with Hobbs up for reelection next year, Petersen has his eye on another way of enacting his immigration enforcement bill.

“I think we’re going to have a new governor in about 18 months. … A lot of the focus may just shift to getting the governor that’ll sign the bill here pretty soon,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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