Former Arizona employee charged with human smuggling puts Hobbs' nominee in hot water

A now-fired Arizona Agriculture Department employee faces human smuggling charges, and legislative Republicans are threatening consequences for Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Former produce inspector Joshua Castro was arrested in Nogales earlier this month on suspicion of allegedly smuggling two undocumented Mexican immigrants for money after they illegally entered the country, authorities said.

Border Patrol agents reported that they saw Castro’s car near I-19 in Nogales on April 9 and 10. The car was "previously identified as a vehicle that may have been used for smuggling” in the area, according to a witness statement.

The agents saw the car pass again later on the 10th with two passengers and pursued it. Castro pulled over and said he didn’t know the men and they had just asked him for a ride.

According to court documents, both men – Diego Ramirez-Cruz and Ignacio Salvador Velazquez-Gomez – told authorities they were charged thousands of dollars to be transported into the United States.

They said they crossed into Arizona illegally and went to a location where they were instructed to wait for someone to pick them up. Then they went with Castro once they were inside Arizona.

Hobbs said the situation is unacceptable.

“I'm outraged by it. This former employee has been arrested, he's not an employee anymore, action was taken on that immediately, and action has been taken within the department to ensure that this is not a more widespread issue,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Agriculture Department said in a statement that the agency “strongly condemns” Castro’s actions.

“Although this took place outside of work hours in the employee's personal vehicle and away from work, AZDA has taken proactive steps to deter this unacceptable behavior. Policies and procedures are being reviewed, and will include mandatory training for supervisors and employees to include information from CBP on signs to watch for and how to report concerns,” the statement said.

The state Senate is poised to vote on Hobbs’ pick to lead the Department of Agriculture, Paul Brierly.

Brierly was already in hot water with GOP lawmakers who questioned his judgment for posting negative comments about President Donald Trump on social media in 2020.

Now, Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) says the accusations against the department’s former employee may affect Brierly’s prospects.

"It’s no wonder Hobbs vetoes every piece of meaningful border security legislation when on her watch her own state employee is being arrested and prosecuted for the human smuggling of illegal aliens,” Hoffman wrote. “There are no words to adequately describe the obscene mismanagement occurring within @GovernorHobbs’ state government.”

Hoffman added in a text that he already had doubts about Brierly and this won’t help his case as it “highlights the very mismanagement that seems to be occurring within the AZDA.”

“Hobbs’ response that she was implementing employee trainings to ensure this doesn’t happen again was clownish and laughable on its face. If her employees need to be trained that human smuggling is against the law, then Hobbs’ administration is even more dysfunctional and chaotic than everyone thought,” Hoffman said.

Hobbs said she can’t speak to Hoffman’s motives.

“I continue to be frustrated with him holding director nominations hostage over his political agenda and I think the action is taken since this incident should be considered as addressing the situation,” she said.