Conservatives in the Arizona legislature want to put a Texas-style anti-illegal immigration law on the ballot in November, after the state’s Democratic governor vetoed the bill earlier this year.
The Republican-controlled legislature in the border state approved a measure in February that would make illegal immigration a state crime and allow police to arrest those on suspicion of being in the state illegally. It would also have made it a felony for illegal migrants who cross the border after being deported, as well as those who have been ordered to leave the state but refused to comply.
It is similar to a Texas law passed in December, but that has been on hold since January due to a lawsuit from the federal government. It’s one of a number of such bills from states who say the federal government is not doing enough to tackle the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS
Migrants flee through a gap in the border wall in Lukeville, Arizona, on Jan 4. (Fox News/Bryan Allman)
But it was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in March.
“This bill does not secure our border. On the contrary, it will be harmful for businesses and communities in our state and a burden for law enforcement personnel,” said Hobbs.
“I know there’s frustration about the federal government’s failure to secure our border, but this bill is not the solution.”
Now, conservatives who are part of the state’s Freedom Caucus are pushing a measure that would add it to the ballot in November.
“We know Katie Hobbs won’t sign [the bill], but the Arizona Constitution gives us as a legislature the right to refer a law like that to the ballot. And that is what I’d like to see from the Arizona legislature,” state Rep. Alex Kolodin told Fox News Digital in an interview.
ANOTHER RED STATE MOVES A STEP CLOSER TO ENACTING TEXAS-STYLE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL
Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has vetoed a Republican-sponsored bill that would have…
