Hobbs Rejects Border Security Package, Sides with Failed Policies Arizona Voters Already Rejected
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 22, 2026
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Governor Katie Hobbs is once again blocking efforts to strengthen border security, enforce immigration laws, and protect Arizona taxpayers by vetoing a package of legislation aimed at addressing the ongoing consequences of illegal immigration. The vetoes come after Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved the Secure the Border Act when Governor Hobbs rejected similar legislation and forced lawmakers to take the issue directly to the ballot as Proposition 314 in 2024.
While Governor Hobbs continues to block commonsense solutions, Arizona families continue living with the consequences every day. Border communities face cartel activity and human smuggling. Law enforcement officers are stretched thin. Taxpayers shoulder the cost of public services. Families continue losing loved ones to fentanyl flowing across the border. Yet Governor Hobbs continues to reject commonsense reforms designed to help address these challenges.
SB 1055 would have required law enforcement to notify federal immigration authorities whenever someone arrested for a crime is in the country illegally.
SB 1421 would have stopped banks, credit unions, and check cashing businesses from accepting special IDs made only for people here illegally. It would have also made it harder for people without legal status to get certain loans or send large amounts of money out of the country without proving they are here lawfully.
SB 1520 would have required state agencies to share basic immigration information with the federal government when requested, helping federal authorities track people who are here illegally or have overstayed their visas.
SB 1338 would have tightened rules so that taxpayer-funded state and local benefits go only to people who are legally in the United States.
SB 1457 would have allowed Arizona's Advanced Air Mobility Fund to be used for border security technology and surveillance to help counties along the border detect and stop illegal crossings and smuggling.
SB 1511 would have required drivers using special nondomiciled commercial driver licenses to prove they are legally in the United States when operating big rigs and other large commercial vehicles on Arizona roads. It would have also given law enforcement tools to take unsafe drivers and vehicles off the road.
All of these bills passed the Republican-led Arizona Legislature this session. Governor Hobbs issued her vetoes late last Friday.
"Governor Hobbs continues to show just how disconnected she is from the reality many Arizona families face every day," said bill sponsor Senator Wendy Rogers. "These bills were not extreme. They were practical steps to help enforce existing laws, improve cooperation with federal authorities, ensure taxpayer-funded benefits go to those legally entitled to receive them, and prevent Arizona from becoming a magnet for illegal immigration. Arizonans have already spoken. When Governor Hobbs vetoed border security legislation before, voters overwhelmingly approved the Secure the Border Act because they were tired of politicians ignoring the problem. Now she's doing it again. While families worry about fentanyl, crime, strained public resources, and the impact of illegal immigration on their communities, Governor Hobbs is more concerned about appeasing activists than listening to the people she was elected to serve."
"Anyone who spends time in Arizona's border region understands that criminals are constantly adapting, and law enforcement must have access to modern technology to keep up," said bill sponsor Senator David Farnsworth. "Our proposal would have allowed resources already available through the state's Advanced Air Mobility Fund to support border security operations. Governor Hobbs dismissed the need, but the people living near the border don't have the luxury of pretending these problems don't exist."
"Every day, Arizona families share the road with massive commercial trucks weighing tens of thousands of pounds," said bill sponsor Majority Whip Frank Carroll. "The public has a right to expect that the people driving those big rigs can read English road signs, understand the rules of the road, and communicate clearly with police, firefighters, or other drivers during emergencies. My legislation simply required proof of lawful presence for nondomiciled commercial drivers and gave law enforcement tools to remove unsafe vehicles from our highways. Governor Hobbs may call it unnecessary, but that won't bring much comfort to the families who have already lost loved ones in crashes involving illegal immigrants driving commercial trucks. Arizonans deserve commonsense safeguards, not excuses."
The Governor justified her vetoes by claiming some of the measures were unnecessary, burdensome, unconstitutional, or harmful to communities. Arizona voters have heard those arguments before. They rejected them when they overwhelmingly approved the Secure the Border Act after Governor Hobbs vetoed earlier border security legislation. Whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, most Arizonans agree laws should be enforced, taxpayer dollars should be protected, and public safety should come first. By vetoing this package of reforms, Governor Hobbs is once again rejecting policies Arizona voters have repeatedly supported and choosing politics over the safety, security, and interests of Arizona families.
###
For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus