Arizona Senate Democrats Stand with Attorney General Kris Mayes

PHOENIX – Violence and chaos are not welcome in Arizona.

Attorney General Kris Mayes knows this and she's fighting to protect Arizonans in a new political reality where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is increasingly comfortable violating the civil rights of U.S. Citizens and those here legally. This is about public safety and Attorney Mayes is right. We are unfortunately likely to experience a tragedy in Arizona if the ICE enforcement actions continue as they have been.

Arizona is a ‘Stand Your Ground’ state and it has been since 2010. Republicans know what this state law means – it allows a person to use deadly physical force, with no duty to retreat, when they are in a place, like their home or on the street, where they may legally be and are not committing a crime.

Attorney General Mayes' point was that a person could reasonably rely on this law when armed, masked individuals break down their door without a judicial warrant or attempt to seize them on the street without clearly identifying themselves or showing identification. The message from our Attorney General was that as these situations create fear and confusion that can lead to an encounter where an ICE agent is injured or where an innocent person in their home is killed because in the chaos, they reached for a weapon.

The newest unconstitutional policy put forth by ICE further muddies the water. The agency's policy to enter a private home by force without a judicial warrant announces to anyone seeking to do harm to families, women or children that they now have an opportunity. The Attorney General was describing our new legal reality – not encouraging anyone to harm law enforcement. She was warning that unconstitutional and irresponsible procedures can create tragic events and that no one should have to guess whether the armed person breaking in their door is a criminal or a peace officer.

As Democrats, we are calling for de-escalation from these tactics. We are calling for compliance with our U.S. Constitution, and we are calling on ICE to act as a professional agency, not one that harasses and detains innocent Arizonans. That is how we keep both residents and law enforcement safe.