Katie Hobbs believes Secure the Border Act would drive businesses out of Arizona
May 23, 2024, 11:57 AM
PHOENIX — Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs believes border security legislation that is one step away from ending up on the November ballot would drive businesses out of Arizona if passed.
Hobbs called HCR2060, which passed in the Republican-controlled Arizona Senate on Wednesday, “harmful legislation.”
If enacted, law enforcement would be able to arrest those who they see cross the border illegally and not at a designated port of entry. Passage by the Republican-controlled House would put the measure on the Nov. 5 ballot.
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“It will demonize communities,” Hobbs said Thursday during a media availability. “It will drive businesses out of the state and send jobs to Texas and California. After we fought so hard to remove the black eye from Senate Bill 1070, we’re going to end up right back in that same place.”
What effect would Secure the Border Act have in Arizona?
Republicans say the legislation won’t be a repeat of SB1070, Arizona’s controversial “show-me-your-papers” law that passed in 2010 and was eventually partially struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Arizona lost business in response to SB1070, with the state losing $140 million as a result of economic boycotts, according to one report.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said the bill, which was amended before its passage, won’t lead the state down the same path SB1070 did.
“The biggest issue with SB1070 was the lawful presence issue,” Petersen told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday. “This doesn’t have lawful presence in it, so that’s not even going to come into play.”
Hobbs and Petersen don’t see eye to eye on its possible fallout.
She said she knows changes need to come on the border, but doesn’t want it to happen through HCR2060.
“I understand Arizona’s frustration with the lack of federal action on the border and the failure to secure the border,” Hobbs said. “2060 is not the answer to that.”
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Colton Krolak contributed to this report.
