(Patriot.Buzz) – Confronted with Joe Biden’s crystal-clear unwillingness to address the crisis he created, Republicans in the Arizona House unanimously pushed through a measure to make illegal crossings at the Arizona-Mexico border a state crime.
This move would empower state authorities to arrest and deport individuals who cross illegally outside of designated entry points.
The measure passed with a vote of 31-29, revealing a clear party divide after previously progressing through the state senate on similar lines.
This legislative push reflects Republican dissatisfaction with the current administration’s overly permissive border policies.
In turn, Democrats claim that the law could lead to racial profiling among illegals and citizens alike.
Instead of heading to the desk of Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, who vetoed a similar proposal earlier this year, the measure will be placed directly on the November ballot for voters to decide.
By doing so, Governor Hobbs would not have the power to veto it if passed by the public vote.
The proposal known as H.C.R. 2060, or the Secure the Border Act, draws inspiration from Texas’s S.B. 4 law, which similarly allows state officials to arrest and deport illegals.
However, with the Texas law currently stalled in appeals, the future of Arizona’s measure could hinge on the outcome of Texas’s legal battles with the federal government and the ACLU.
Additional elements of H.C.R. 2060 include criminal penalties for the use of false documents to secure employment or public benefits.
It also imposes harsher punishments for those involved in the distribution of fentanyl that causes another person’s death.
Security concerns led Republicans to restrict access to the legislative gallery before the session began due to previous disruptions from pro-immigration activists.
This closure prompted criticism from Democrats like State Representative Analise Ortiz, who argued, “The public gallery should be open to the public. This is the people’s House.”
Following the bill’s passage in the House, Senate Republicans praised the move, which aligns with their previous efforts.
Senate President Warren Petersen specifically targeted Biden in his remarks, “As soon as Joe Biden took office, he rolled out the welcome mat for illegal crossings and criminal activity.”
“Now, just months away from an election, he issues yet another executive order so that we’ll all of a sudden believe he cares about the chaos he’s constructed,” he concluded.
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