(The Center Square) – Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs took aim at a Republican-backed border bill for her first veto of the legislative session.
Hobbs shot down Sen. Janae Shamp’s “Arizona Border Invasion Act”, or Senate Bill 1231, which would have made it a state crime to enter Arizona anywhere besides a legal port of entry.
“This bill does not secure our border, will be harmful for communities and businesses in our state, and burdensome for law enforcement personnel and the state judicial system,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.
“Further, this bill presents significant constitutional concerns and would be certain to mire the State in costly and protracted litigation,” she added.
Shamp called the veto a “slap in the face” to border communities and “victims of border-related crimes,” specifically referencing the death of Georgia college student Laken Riley last month by an illegal immigrant.
“The Legislature did its job to protect our citizens, but Governor Hobbs failed to do hers,” Shamp said in a statement on Monday.
“Vetoing the Arizona Border Invasion Act is a prime example of the chaos Hobbs is unleashing in our state while perpetuating this open border crisis as Biden’s accomplice,” the Republican senator continued.
Although Hobbs has taken a critical tone of the Biden administration and deployed National Guard troops to the southern border when the Lukeville Port of Entry temporarily closed in December, the governor has stopped short of using the Texas playbook with her own border policies. Texas is taking stringent action in hopes of mitigating the flow of migrants into the state, but it has been met with legal opposition from the federal government.
On Monday, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decided that Texas’ Senate Bill 4, which is similar to Shamp’s bill, could be in effect, but the Supreme Court put it on hold, The Center Square reported. As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues the crackdown amid the court battles, the migrant surge is now primarily in California and Arizona as opposed to Texas, which used to not be the case.
The governor’s office was already public about vetoing the legislation since in passed the state Senate last month, despite pleas from Republicans to pass the bill. Hobbs is expected to veto much more legislation this session, much like last year where she shot down 143 of her opposing party’s bills, according to the Arizona Capitol Times.
