NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — More than 62 percent of Arizona voters said they want local law enforcement more involved in finding and arresting people who have entered the U.S. illegally. Border sheriffs say it could overwhelm their departments.
Arizona voters called for a major change in border-based law enforcement through passing Prop 314. They made illegal immigration a state crime as well as a Federal crime. That creates some challenges for local law enforcement.
Immigration law is Federal law, enforced by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But Arizona lawmakers said Federal law enforcement is overwhelmed so they put up a ballot proposition called Prop 314 —and voters approved it by a wide margin.
But in Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway says he only has 40 deputies and they have their hands full with violent crime and property crime.
The Sheriff says it’s just not practical to be constantly checking people to be sure they’re legally in the U.S.
“My community is 95% Hispanic. So that means 95% of the people here are speaking Spanish. They have Hispanic last names like Martinez, Rodriguez, Hernandez, they have Hispanic physical characteristics. So what am I going to do? Am I going to go tell me, Hey, show me your papers for practically every single person that lives in this community.”
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels says the vote to approve Prop 314 tells him it’s the will of the people but doesn’t tell him how to keep it from overwhelming Cochise County law enforcement.
He says Arizona Sheriffs are asking Congress, and state government who will cover the cost of Prop 314.
“We just had a meeting Monday with the Governor's team, and I re-posed this question, what happens if it passes? So this is on the Governor's desk, so we're waiting to hear now what's going to happen.”
Sheriff Hathaway says Prop 314 language says it will not take effect until courts decide if the Texas law it’s based on is constitutional and it’s not clear when that court test will happen.