Arizona Senate advances proposed ballot measure to let local police make border-crossing arrests

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Senate approved a proposed ballot measure that would ask voters in November to make it a state crime for noncitizens to enter the state through Mexico at any location other than a port of entry.

The proposal approved Wednesday on a 16-13 party-line vote would draw Arizona directly into immigration enforcement by letting state and local police arrest people crossing the border without authorization and giving state judges the power to order people convicted of the offense to return to their country of origin. The measure, similar to a Texas law that has been put on hold by a federal appeals court while it is being challenged, now advances to the Republican-controlled Arizona House. If approved by the full Legislature, the measure would bypass Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who had vetoed a similar proposal two months ago, and instead would be sent to the Nov. 5 ballot for voters to decide.

Before the vote was taken, a handful of immigrant rights supporters yelled, “Stop the hate, stop the hate,” interrupting the debate and profanely calling supporters of the measure racists before the advocates walked out of the chamber.

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