Arizona House to consider bill on arrests of illegal immigrants

By Zachery Schmidt
The Center Square

A new Arizona bill would require state and local police to notify federal law enforcement once an illegal immigrant is arrested.

Senate Bill 1055 is heading to the state House for consideration after the Senate passed it Tuesday by a vote of 16 to 11. The Republican majority backed the bill. No Democrats voted for it.

SB 1055 would also prevent state and local officials from limiting federal immigration law enforcement to “less than the full extent allowed by federal law.”

The bill allows an Arizona resident to bring legal action against a state or local jurisdiction that is hindering federal immigration law enforcement.

If a judge finds that a jurisdiction violates SB 1055, the court can impose a penalty of $500 to $5,000 per day until the violation ceases.

Also, the fine can be for the number of days the policy remains effective after a person files a lawsuit.

Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, the sponsor of SB 1055, said the legislation “strengthens cooperation with federal authorities, gives law enforcement the tools they need, and ensures Arizona is not a sanctuary for cartel activity, fentanyl trafficking or human smuggling.”

“Border security is not a partisan issue,” she said, answering The Center Square’s questions by email. “It’s a public safety responsibility, and this bill reflects that.”

In Arizona, nine law enforcement agencies participate in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to carry out specific immigration enforcement duties.

According to Rogers, SB 1055 will strengthen “existing partnerships.”

“This is about coordination, transparency and clarity – not extra work,” Rogers said.

Under President Donald Trump, the number of illegal immigrants coming into Arizona have fallen dramatically from the number during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.

In fiscal year 2024, Arizona experienced 564,495 illegal immigrant encounters. Compared to fiscal year 2025, the state saw 66,452 illegal immigrant encounters. This represents an 88% decrease in encounters.

But Rogers expects Hobbs will likely oppose SB 1055 if it reaches her desk. Republicans hold majorities in both Arizona houses, but lack enough seats to override the Democratic governor’s vetoes. In that case, the Republicans would need some Democratic votes to reach the two-thirds threshold. But as mentioned previously, no Democrats voted for SB 1055 in the Senate.

Rogers sees the issue as bipartisan.

“Border security should never be held hostage to political ideology,” Rogers said. “The people of Arizona expect leadership, not obstruction. If the governor won’t partner with federal authorities to protect our communities, the Legislature will.”

In addition to SB 1055, the state Senate passed two Rogers-sponsored bills aimed at increasing immigration enforcement.

SB 1520 mandates Arizona state agencies share immigration-related information when requested by the federal government.

SB 1421 prevents certain Arizona financial institutions from accepting specific forms of identification issued to illegal immigrants. Also, the bill says a person must confirm their lawful status before making certain foreign money transfers.

The Center Square reached out this week to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for comment, but did not get a response as of press time.