New law cracks down on human smuggling and child sex crimes in Arizona

PHOENIX — Arizona is cracking down on child sex crimes and human smuggling with a new law.

The bill brought forward by Republican Majority Whip Leo Biasiucci triples the amount of jail time for adults convicted of certain child sex crimes.

Those convicted of smuggling and other related crimes will also not be eligible for probation or a pardon until after the sentence has been served.

Biasiucci said he hopes the legislation can help prevent tragedies like the smuggling-related crash near Casa Grande last week that killed three people.

“We had an 18-year-old who was smuggling humans from across the border, they swerved into oncoming traffic to a head-on collision,” Biasiucci said. “Three people died … because an 18-year-old thought that it would be smart to join a smuggling operation.”

Biasiucci believes incidents like this are happening due to the Biden administration’s lax border policies.

“Three lives are now gone and we sit here and continue to do nothing about it and that’s bothering me, enough to where we’re putting bills now through the legislature that are doing the jobs the feds should be doing,” he said.

Gov. Doug Ducey signed the bill into law last week.

“We have seen a dramatic increase in human smuggling at the border since President Biden took office,” Ducey said during the bill signing ceremony. “These criminals drive recklessly, which often ends in death and tragedy.

“We’ve all seen the news reports. I’m hopeful this new law will help to save lives and deter more migrants from making the dangerous journey to our border.”

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