PHOENIX — The Arizona Senate passed a measure Thursday calling on Attorney General Kris Mayes to resign over her remarks about ICE and the state’s Stand Your Ground law — comments Gov. Katie Hobbs said Mayes should retract.
In several interviews last week, Mayes said she was concerned an Arizonan could open fire on federal immigration agents if they forcibly enter a home without a judge-signed warrant.
Republican lawmakers and law enforcement groups have slammed Mayes for her comments, saying the remarks put officers in danger.
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“The Democrats have put a target on the lives of every single federal law enforcement officer attempting to execute their lawful duties to protect the people of this country from dangerous, criminal illegal aliens,” state Sen. Jake Hoffman said during the vote on Senate Resolution 1036.
Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh said Mayes was wrong on the law.
“I don’t think she wants to see cops hurt,” he said. “The problem was, she misstated the law of self-defense, which could cause people to shoot and kill cops when they’re not justified.”
On KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos on Jan. 22, Mayes said Arizona has an expansive Stand Your Ground law.
“My concern is that ICE has set up this situation that is so combustible in a state like Arizona that has a Stand Your Ground law,” she said. “Now, I don't want people using lethal force ever, ever against a police officer, but police officers, cops identify themselves.”
Her remarks on KTAR News came after the Associated Press reported on a memo authorizing U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents to use force to enter a home if they have an administrative warrant issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Hobbs calls Mayes’ remarks ‘inappropriate’
Senate Democrats rallied around Mayes earlier Thursday, criticizing their Republican colleagues for pushing SR 1036 forward instead of addressing affordability issues.
“They have misquoted her, twisting her words and calling for her resignation,” Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan said on the Senate lawn. “It is based on lies. She had been expressing concern for law enforcement in stating that Arizona laws created additional danger for them.”
But on the other side of the Valley, Hobbs broke with her party, saying she would not defend Mayes' remarks.
“I think her comments were inappropriate, and she should retract them,” she said.
When asked if she disagreed with members of her own party, Hobbs said: “I don’t disagree with members. I think that she should retract her comments. I think they created more confusion and the potential for escalation than the opposite of that, which is what we should be doing.”
Hobbs said the amount of explaining Mayes has had to do indicate her comments "didn't hit the mark."
"It is the responsibility of every elected official to turn down the temperature and do everything we can to be very careful with our language about ramping up the potential for violence,” Hobbs said. “We are seeing, across the country, people's fear increasing, the potential for violence increasing. And law enforcement officers have a really, really hard and dangerous job, and we have to do everything we can to make sure that that job is as safe as possible.”
In a statement, Mayes’ office told ABC15 the attorney general had clarified her comments repeatedly.
“She obviously does not believe it’s legal to shoot a peace officer,” Mayes spokesperson Richie Taylor said. “The actions of Donald Trump’s federal agents are endangering public safety and putting local and state law enforcement and the public in danger. And that is what should concern the Governor.”
Measure passes along party lines
The state Senate approved SR 1036 along party lines.
The non-binding measure asks Mayes to retract “her dangerous rhetoric concerning the use of deadly force against federal, state and local law enforcement officers;” issue a public statemen t of support for all law enforcement, including ICE; issue guidance “that accurately reflects Arizona law;” and resign.
During the vote, state Sen. Analise Ortiz said Mayes raised legitimate concerns about ICE’s tactics.
“Her words, which simply stated a law that was passed by this body, have been entirely misconstrued for political gain,” she said.
Mayes clarified her words in a video she posted on YouTube on Sunday, the day after U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
"Despite how right-wing media has mischaracterized recent comments I made about ICE and the danger its actions pose to public safety, the idea that I would want the life of any member of law enforcement put in danger is wrong, offensive, and an outright lie," she said. "Danger to law enforcement is the very thing I want to avoid in Arizona."
Kavanagh, a retired Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police officer who represents Legislative District 3, sponsored SR 1036. He criticized Mayes for not retracting her remarks, and he defended ICE’s operations.
“These events occur mostly in blue states that have sanctuary city policies that refuse to notify ICE when criminals are being released from jails and prisons,” Kavanagh said. “Because of that, ICE officers have to serve these warrants in the street, in homes, in stores, in businesses. That’s dangerous when these are violent criminals.”
Reviews of Department of Homeland Security data have found that the number of immigrants without criminal convictions or charges who are detained has surged.
