Phoenix, AZ - On May 8, 2024, Governor Katie Hobbs denounced the anti-business, anti-immigrant ballot referral under consideration by the state legislature:

“Passing a job-killing, anti-business ballot initiative that demonizes our communities is not the solution to our border crisis. The bill I vetoed earlier this year lacked support from businesses, farmers, and law enforcement in border communities. This ballot initiative won’t secure our border. Instead, it will put Arizona entrepreneurs out of business, kill jobs and prevent law enforcement from keeping our communities safe. Arizona should not pay the price for the federal government’s inaction.

“Nobody is more frustrated than me at the federal government’s failure to secure our border. Earlier this year, Congress had a border deal that supported law enforcement and included stringent reforms, but instead of passing that law extremists killed it to politicize the issue rather than focus on long-term solutions. Now, extremist Republicans in the state legislature continue to play the same political games here in Arizona. I have done everything in my power to secure our border, including sending the National Guard and providing border communities nearly 100 million dollars in state resources to keep our communities safe. I promised to deliver solutions to our border crisis, not empty rhetoric just to score political points, and that’s exactly what I’ve done.

“I call on business and community leaders to speak up and join me in opposing HCR 2060. This measure will divert law enforcement resources away from stopping crimes like burglary and theft, cost state and local governments millions of dollars, and leave a black eye on our state’s international reputation as one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business.”