Arizona’s Dem Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Let Police Jail Migrants for Crossing Into US Illegally

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs wielded her veto pen to strike down a Republican-backed bill that would have let local authorities arrest, jail and deport migrants for crossing into the state illegally.

Hobbs, a Democrat, blasted the measure as “harmful” and suggested it raised serious constitutional concerns.

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Senate Bill 1231, also known as the Arizona Border Invasion Act, would have made border crossings a Class 1 misdemeanor, except at legal ports of entry.

Individuals who were convicted of violating that law for the first time would’ve faced six months behind bars unless they agreed to leave the country voluntarily if the bill was enacted.

The measure also would have permitted Arizona judges to order deportations.

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Nearby, Texas is battling a Justice Department suit against a similar measure that would allow local law enforcement to detain migrants in the country illegally.

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