Representative Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) condemned a recent statement by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, accusing her of implying that it is justified to shoot ICE agents.
In an interview with 12 News' Brahm Resnik, AG Mayes claimed that because Arizona is a "Stand Your Ground" state -- which means the use of deadly force if the perpetrator believes they are in imminent danger -- ICE agents' use of masks to protect their identities, and the supposed lack of other identifying markers, means that anti-ICE protesters may shoot at them.
"It's kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks," claimed Mayes. "If you're being attacked by someone who is not identified as a peace officer — how do you know?" and further claiming that "real cops don't wear masks."
Rep. Hamadeh issued a statement condemning the remarks, saying, "Kris Mayes' comments justifying the murder of our ICE agents were reprehensible but entirely predictable. This is the natural consequence of elevating a far-left political activist to Arizona's top law enforcement position."
Hamadeh further noted that nothing in Arizona's "Stand Your Ground" law permits citizens to use deadly force against law enforcement during operations.
The remark came shortly before a second instance of an ICE officer fatally shooting an anti-ICE protester occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where a 37-year-old man, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, allegedly pulled a gun on ICE agents, although footage allegedly contradicts the claims of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In a post to X, Rep. Hamadeh claimed that "Democrats welcomed an INVASION at our border. Now they're weaponizing their militant base to impede law enforcement and block President Trump from fixing this disaster." "Make no mistake: it's pure political calculation. They're willing to watch cities burn and have innocent people die to attempt their Marxist takeover of America," he added.
