Arizona GOP leaders voice anger at Attorney General Kris Mayes over her recent ICE comments

PHOENIX — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ recent comments about ICE agents angered several high-profile state Republicans, one of whom called for her resignation.

“She shouldn’t be in office,” Arizona Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Monday. “If she doesn’t resign, I hope the voters will dispose of her quickly in November.”

The controversy began early last week when Mayes expressed concerns in an interview with 12News that confrontations between Arizona residents and ICE could turn deadly. During the Jan. 20 interview, she called the combination of armed residents who are empowered under the “Stand Your Ground” law to defend themselves and mask-wearing agents without uniforms “a recipe for disaster.”

On Sunday, Mayes released a video clarifying her stance. She said her concern was the safety of Arizonans and law enforcement if Trump deployed “poorly trained” ICE agents into Arizona. The video came after ICE agents shot and killed nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday, marking the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis this month.

Despite this, Kavanagh accused Mayes of using rhetoric that could incite violence against police.

“I think she should step down because we have a situation where people are going to shoot cops,” Kavanagh said. “I mean, they’ll be calling Kris Mayes as the key defense witness in murder trials against cops. And it’s also irresponsible.”

His comments ran counter to Mayes’ statement that the idea she wants to endanger law enforcement is “wrong, offensive and a downright lie,” adding that ICE’s behavior in Minneapolis is hurting the public’s trust in law enforcement.

Arizona GOP leader hoping to replace Kris Mayes critiques her ICE comments

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, Mayes’ likely opponent in the upcoming attorney general race, also weighed in on her comments Monday.

“What she needs to do is voice her support for ICE,” Petersen told The Mike Broomhead Show. “She continually says how she does not support or like ICE, and that is dangerous.”

Just like Kavanagh, Petersen referred to Mayes’ comments as harmful rhetoric.

“The law says law enforcement is exempt from Stand your Ground,” he added. “Fortunately, out of 50 states, we’re only really seeing Minnesota in total complete anarchy and chaos, driven in big, large part by dangerous rhetoric from their elected officials.”

Petersen also characterized the weekslong protests against ICE agents in Minneapolis as riots. However, the city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, has said that citizens are exercising their First Amendment rights and the protests have been peaceful. Additionally, Gov. Tim Walz has mobilized the Minnesota National Guard, although no units have been deployed to the city’s streets.

“Now, we don’t want that to happen here, which is why … people like me and many others are pushing back against what Kris Mayes is doing,” Petersen said. “If you don’t want to get shot, don’t do dumb things. Comply with law enforcement. Nobody that complies with law enforcement is going to be harmed.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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