Over the past two hours, crowds have grown into the hundreds and filled the streets around the intersection. There’s a constant chorus of honks. Scottsdale is very much a red area, but support appears widespread

Susan Coltrara, whose family fled Nazi Germany, said she’s worried about the future: “What’s happening is similar to Germany in the 1930s,” she said. “It scares me to death for our future, and the future of our democracy.”

This is just one of several hostile proposals being advanced by the GOP majority, which has taken 2024 election results as a mandate to increase Arizona's involvement in immigration enforcement. Focus is very much on supporting Trump's mass deportation plans

Sponsor of the bill is Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, the leader of the legislature's far-right Freedom Caucus who's built his political profile pushing extreme, controversial bills

It's headed straight for a veto if the GOP majority OKs it. Gov. Hobbs spox said "there's no way in hell" she would sign a tax hike into law, especially not one that "puts a bounty on the heads of innocent people who have worked hard, paid taxes and lived in their communities for decades"

Even if the bill passes thru the legislature, it’s likely to be vetoed by Gov. Hobbs. Last year, however, R’s responded to the veto of a high profile anti immigrant bill by packaging it in a ballot measure: Prop 314, which Arizonans overwhelmingly voted for

Bills are sometimes held if there isn’t enough support from stakeholders — in this case that would be the law enforcement community — or from Republicans themselves

Unclear why the bill is still stalled in committee. Sen Catherine Miranda, a Dem who sits on Senate Military Affairs & Border Security which has twice held it said there might be amendments being drafted. Pres Warren Petersen who wrote it hasn’t responded to q’s about it

or the non-issue, really!

thanks to You, for a great & timely read! have been seeing a lot of chatter on the topic lately and this helped clarify the issue for me

Unrelated but interesting, the Senate Military Affairs & Border Security Committee was scheduled to hear the AZ ICE Act today, which seeks to force all law enforcement agencies in the state to work with ICE. Was struck from the agenda.