A national conservative organization is suing Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, claiming her office is illegally withholding public records.
The Judicial Watch lawsuit stems from statements Hobbs made about not using state resources to assist with deportations.
In late 2024, Hobbs told ABC News she wouldn’t allow Arizona to take part in efforts to threaten or terrorize communities.
A month later, Judicial Watch filed a public records request with the Governor’s Office for any documents about Hobbs prohibiting state law enforcement from assisting federal deportation efforts.
Hobbs spokesperson Christian Slater said there are no related documents because Hobbs ordered the Department of Public Safety to follow the law. But he repeated Hobbs sentiment from a year ago.
“State law enforcement will not participate in activities that harm our communities such as ICE going into churches, schools, hospitals, or going after people who have been here for decades who follow the law," Slater said.
There’s no date set for a hearing.
That interview took place at the border where Hobbs had gone to publicize her own deployment of National Guard soldiers to help Customs and Border Protection. Those, she said, are the thing she will do "that are most helpful in securing our border.''
"What I will unequivocally say is that as governor I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities,'' Hobbs said. "And Arizona will not take part in those.''
The governor also predicted at the time it would lead to "people hiding in fear,'' similar to what happened when the Republican-controlled Legislature adopted SB 1070 in 2010 which was designed at least in part to require police to ask people they stop about their immigration status.
"It harmed communities, it tore families apart,'' Hobbs said. "That's not going to happen on my watch.''
The governor made similar comments days earlier at a press conference in Phoenix, saying she will "stand up against actions that hurt our communities.'' But she dodged a question at that time of whether she would use her powers to prevent the wholesale deporting of those who entered the country illegally.
All that, Judicial Watch said in its news release about the lawsuit, is sufficient to question whether she ordered those two agencies to withhold cooperation from federal immigration authorities.
Slater called the action "a shameless, politically motivated lawsuit by a far-right activist group."
The records request, sent Dec. 17, 2024, demands any documents about orders, directives or even suggestions to DPS that reflect "your official non-participation position'' as reported.
It also seeks documents that would reflect policies that would be in violation of a state law that says that no official or agency of the state or local government "may limit or restrict the enforcement of federal immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.''
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