An Arizona push to work around Gov. Katie Hobbs and put tougher immigration laws in front of the voters to decide cleared a major hurdle in the State Senate. 'The governor has openly said the border is not secure. She’s said the federal government’s failing us, the Biden administration’s failing us, but unfortunately, it’s just words,' Arizona Senate President Warren Peterson told Fox News Digital. 'She hasn’t proposed anything, she hasn’t given us anything for the border.
The bill, which is modeled after Texas’ controversial SB 4, would make it a crime to illegally cross the border. Like the Texas law, which is critically at the center of an ongoing court battle, the bill would give local law enforcement the ability to enforce immigration laws. 'This is truly a border security bill,' said Peterson, the top Republican in the Arizona Senate.
The Arizona lawmaker also stressed that the new bill is much different than SB 1070, a controversial 2010 immigration law in the state that was partially struck down by the Supreme Court in 2012. That bill allowed law enforcement in any part of the state to be questioned about their immigration status, Peterson explained, while this bill is more narrowly focused on securing the border.
The proposal will now move to the full Senate for approval, where a vote is expected on May 15. The measure will also need to be heard by the state House of Representatives, where it enjoys the support of Republican House Speaker Ben Toma, according to the AZ Family report. Hobbs’ office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.