State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-15) has introduced legislation to authorize monetary rewards to law enforcement detaining illegal aliens who get deported.
Up to $2500 would be rewarded to law enforcement agencies for every illegal alien they detain that is deported by the federal government under President Donald Trump, only after the deportation is confirmed.
Sen. Hoffman's bill creates a tax on wire transfers to foreign countries to fund such an endeavor. Specifically, a $25 fee will be charged for every transfer less than $500, while transfers over $500 will have the $25 plus 5% of the amount being transferred.
"What it does is it empowers our local law enforcement officials to apprehend and transport to federal law enforcement illegal criminal aliens so they can be adjudicated and deported," Sen. Hoffman told Arizona's Family.
Additionally, he said SB 1111 builds upon Trump's mass deportation efforts of illegal aliens, saying, "What we don't want are criminal illegal aliens on our streets. So in line with the wildly popular mass deportation that President Trump is currently engaging in, we are going to ensure that our law enforcement is doing its job to support that effort and make sure our streets are safe."
The State Senator's bill is the latest in a string of bold border security initiatives launched by Arizona Republicans, with Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro (R-29) introducing two bills designating the Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) under Arizona law.
HB2855 would go through the conventional legislation process in the House and Senate and reach the Governor's desk. Should Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) veto the bill, Montenegro's House Concurrent Resolution 2055 (HCR2055) would put the FTO designation on the ballot for Arizona voters.
"Governor Hobbs vetoed this legislation in the last session, but with HB2855, we're giving her another opportunity to do the right thing and sign it. If she refuses, Republicans will send HCR2055 to the Arizona voters—giving the people a direct say in the fight against drug cartels and the devastation they bring to our communities," Montenegro said in his press release.
On Monday, State Representative David Marshall (R-7) and Attorney General Kris Mayes spoke in support of HB2733, which authorizes Arizona law enforcement to capture, disable, and destroy drones used by the cartels to scout and drop off drugs.
"We are also sending a clear message to the cartels: Arizona will not tolerate cartels infringing upon our security and dispensing deadly drugs to our citizens, and it is about time that we as legislators step up and give our law enforcement the tools they need to combat this disease at the border, the disease of drug trafficking and human trafficking," said Rep. Marshall.
"Since taking office two years ago, I made it a priority for my office to work in lockstep with federal law enforcement, the [Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)], our sheriffs, and local agencies to investigate and prosecute these criminals," AG Mayes added.
