June 4th, 2024
ARIZONA- Today, Republicans again voted to bring back SB1070 era immigration politics, by introducing a ballot referral that mirrors a Texas Law that allows local law enforcement to racially profile people, faces questions of constitutionality, has a price tag of $40 million for Arizona taxpayers, and Arizona sheriffs and border patrol agents claim is ineffective.
“Arizona Republicans are playing politics with the issues most important to Arizonans,” said Arizona Democratic Party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano. “Republicans in the legislature have been failing Arizonans, restricting our abortion rights, pushing for SB1070 racial profiling, and peddling election conspiracy theories. This November Arizonans are going to flip the legislature so Democrats can move our state forward.”
Governor Hobbs vetoed the Arizona Border Invasion Act, which inspired HCR2060, in part because the Texas law it is mirrored by is on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals docket as it decides on its constitutionality. Even House Speaker Ben Toma said that with Texas litigation ongoing it would be premature to send the issue to voters.
ADLCC Chair Priya Sundareshan added, “The Republican controlled legislature, desperately holding onto power, are now pushing for a ballot measure that will encourage racial profiling and cost Arizonans over $40 million, but doesn’t even achieve their stated goals. As Arizonans struggle to afford housing, are worried about their abortion rights, and want to send their children to good schools, Republicans waste time by playing politics. We need change, and the best way to move our state forward is to flip the legislature so Arizona Democrats can deliver real results.”
This comes at the same time that MAGA Republicans on the national level had a chance to pass the “first major bipartisan overhaul of the nation’s immigration system since the 1990’s,” which was overwhelmingly supported by border patrol agents back in February, but killed the bill on Donald Trump’s orders.
Arizona Democrats are prepared to fight for Arizonans rights up and down the ticket. To learn more about key initiatives, how to vote, or how to support Democrats this election cycle, please visit azdem.org.
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