When faced with a significant crisis, it is crucial for elected leaders to act decisively. This is exactly what the Arizona state legislature did by passing HCR2060, known as the “Secure the Border Act.”
Illegal immigration and its negative consequences have escalated to a point where state legislatures must intervene due to the failure of state and federal government leaders, specifically Governor Katie Hobbs and President Joe Biden.
The Secure the Border Act is a comprehensive, holistic approach to combat illegal immigration in several ways. It empowers local and state law enforcement to arrest and detain individuals who are in Arizona illegally. It also reduces the incentives for illegal immigration by tightening laws against employing illegal aliens and requiring eligibility checks for public benefits like welfare, food stamps, or taxpayer-funded healthcare. Additionally, it creates a new Class 2 felony for dealers of deadly fentanyl trafficked into this state from our southern border.
Fentanyl overdoses claim more than three lives daily in Maricopa County alone. That’s nearly 100 people dying every month from a lethal drug smuggled across our border. We are all impacted by this epidemic.
According to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Arizona is now a primary route for cartels smuggling fentanyl into the United States. More than half of all fentanyl smuggled into the country comes through the Arizona-Mexico border. In 2022, over 20 million fentanyl pills were seized in Maricopa County, and by October 2023, more than 40 million fentanyl pills were seized at the Nogales port of entry.
Why are we allowing this to happen?
Opponents of this initiative argue it is reminiscent of SB1070, the landmark border legislation signed into law in 2010. However, the situation today is vastly different from 2010. At that time, illegal immigration was just a trickle compared to what we are facing today. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that in the past three years, the number of illegal immigrant encounters at our southern border more than doubled compared to the previous ten years.
Even more troubling is the pattern of non-South American foreign nationals walking across our border. The Border Patrol has apprehended illegal border-crossers from such places as China, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Russia, and more.
Besides the record number of illegal aliens with criminal records coming across our border, through July of 2023, more than 160 individuals were on the FBI’s Terror Watch List. In short, our border is so insecure and so porous, that we really have no idea who is coming here. That’s frightening.
For those closely monitoring the issue, this comes as no surprise. The nightly news shows the rampant invasion of illegal aliens into our country. States should not remain passive while those responsible for border security fail to act or even facilitate the invasion. We have a duty to invoke Arizona’s sovereign authority to protect citizens in our state.
This practical approach to public safety has become a partisan issue because, sadly, the Secure the Border Act passed without any Democrat votes. The criticism is aimed solely at Republicans, yet, on the same day we passed our bill, President Biden issued an Executive Order to block asylum claims at the border! This was an obvious political stunt, underlined by the fact that, as the Wall Street Journal reported, “migrants can still seek asylum at ports of entry using the CBP One mobile app.”
President Biden and his administration are responsible for this crisis, and Governor Hobbs' inaction exacerbates the problem.
The people of Arizona are fed up and demand a solution. They want safe communities and a secure border. The financial burden of illegal immigration on the state is overwhelming, affecting law enforcement, healthcare, and the welfare of our citizens.
Now, the voters of Arizona will have their say at the polls in November.
Ben Toma is the Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives and Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s Congressional District 8.