A bill moving in the Arizona Senate would require hospitals to ask new patients about their immigration status.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Wendy Rogers, says answering the question would be optional and claims there would be “no immigration consequences.”
"It will help the state better calculate the cost of illegal alien health care. It does not, I’ll say again, it does not deny care to anyone," Rogers said.
Noah Schram with the ACLU of Arizona warned of unintended outcomes in a Monday committee hearing.
"Imagine, for example, that the data reveals that hospitals spend X amount on emergency care for undocumented immigrants, what happens then? Will funding be cut to these facilities? Will we see ICE agents, border patrol or state law enforcement stationed in hospitals?" Schram asked.
Opponents also say the bill would deter people from seeking medical care and lead to racial profiling.
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The department did not release a list of names of the people it says are family, business or personal acquaintances of people associated with the drug cartel. -
The analysis uses government data, spanning asylum and refugee admissions to work visas and international students. -
In a letter to new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Gallego and Kelly say they’re writing to follow up on an original request from February — in which they asked the agency for more details about plans for a warehouse facility in surprise, and an old jail in Marana, just outside Tucson. -
State Sen. John Kavanagh said there already are laws that make it a crime to physically obstruct police who are trying to make an arrest. What's needed, he said, is something to criminalize those who obstruct police by warning those police are seeking. -
Mexico is calling for thorough investigations into the deaths of 15 Mexican nationals in ICE detention or during immigration enforcement action since the start of President Donald Trump’s term.
