PHOENIX — Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is calling for stricter standards for when federal immigration officers may use force, especially deadly force, with the introduction of the “Stop Excessive Force in Immigration" Act.
The bill focuses on multiple changes, including limiting the use of face masks by agents, notifying cities where operations will be taking place ahead of time, and limiting shooting at a moving vehicle where other reasonable options exist.
“With a budget larger than the U.S. Marine Corps and massive operations in U.S. cities, ICE has to be held to a higher standard. Under this administration, we’ve seen ICE harass and use deadly force against American citizens with zero accountability, creating more chaos that makes communities less safe,” Senator Kelly said in a statement to ABC15 and Scripps News.
Scripps News spoke exclusively with Senator Kelly on this newly introduced bill. Hear the full interview in the player above.
The release of the bill comes after another ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis on Wednesday, the second shooting in a week. Protesters have continued to take to the streets following the shooting death of Renee Good on January 7.
See the full text of the bill below.
A similar version of the bill was introduced in November by a group of House Democratic lawmakers.
Senator Kelly's version builds on the House version, adding in requirements that govern the use of deadly force by the DOJ standard, a mandate that officers are trained to administer first aid, and prohibiting the agency from obstructing state or local investigations of excessive use of force by ICE agents.
“Arizonans deserve immigration enforcement that is effective and follows the law," Senator Kelly said.
Lawmakers are also adding language that says First Amendment activities are not enough for agents to believe their safety is at risk.
ICE protests took place across the country on Saturday, January 10. That included many in the Valley, where big crowds gathered in Tempe on a pedestrian bridge over the U.S. 60, and also outside of the ICE building in Phoenix.
In a statement, Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego weighed in on the bill, saying, in part, that it would "bring much-needed accountability and restraint to stop Trump’s under-trained goon squads from sowing chaos in our communities."
Senator Gallego, who is co-leading the bill, has also been critical of the ICE actions in Minneapolis and has called for reform within ICE.
“We in this office are going to do everything we can to hold them accountable, to stop their goonish natures, and hold them accountable,” Gallego said during his first press conference of 2026.
Elsewhere in Arizona, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero says they’re preparing for potential troop deployments, and has created a city webpage informing residents of their rights regarding immigration enforcement.
Read Senator Gallego's full statement on the bill below:
“The shooting of Renee Good and horrific violence we’re seeing from ICE agents in Minnesota and across the country is a disgrace and completely avoidable. We can secure the border and enforce immigration laws without terrorizing communities, racial profiling, or putting innocent people in danger. But the Stephen Miller approach is about stoking fear in our communities and causing harm to innocent people. We need to reform and restrain ICE to make sure it is targeted, professional, accountable, and focused on deporting dangerous criminals. This bill will bring much-needed accountability and restraint to stop Trump’s under-trained goon squads from sowing chaos in our communities and to ensure this needless violence never happens again."
