Arizona Lawmakers Approve Ballot Measure to Make Illegal Immigration a State Crime, as Federal Authorities Encounter Over 400,000 Migrants Illegally Crossing Arizona's Borders

Arizona lawmakers approved a ballot measure that would allow voters to decide if illegal immigration should be made a state crime, allowing local police to arrest and jail migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally. If passed, the "Secure the Border Act" ballot measure would make illegally entering Arizona from Mexico a criminal offense and authorize state judges to deport convicted migrants. Federal authorities have encountered over 400,000 migrants illegally crossing in Arizona's Yuma and Tucson sectors so far in fiscal year 2024. The federal government has sued other states over similar laws, arguing immigration enforcement is the federal government's authority. Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs had vetoed a similar bill in March.