Watch the replay: Debate over border Proposition 314

A debate of Arizona’s Proposition 314 — a question about immigration enforcement that will appear on ballots in November — was hosted by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission and the Arizona Media Association on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Arguing in favor of the measure was Arizona Sen. John Kavanagh, a Republican representing District 23, which includes parts of Pinal and Pima Counties and the Tohono O’odham Nation. Arizona Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat currently running for an Arizona Senate seat for District 24 in Glendale, argued against.

What would it do?

Prop. 314 would:

Allow state and local police to arrest non-citizens who cross the border unlawfully
Allow state judges to order deportations
Require the use of the e-verify program to check for eligibility for some public benefit programs and employment, and make it a crime to knowingly use false documents to apply for public benefits
Make the sale of fentanyl a Class 2 felony (punishable by up to 10 years in prison) if a person knowingly sells fentanyl that leads to a person’s death.

What’s the background?

The state legislature put this proposal on the ballot, and you may have heard it called by the name of the bill, HCR 2060, or as the “Secure the Border Act.” This proposal is the biggest push to draw local authorities into immigration enforcement since SB 1070 — the state’s controversial 2010 law that required police to question people’s immigration status in certain situations, according to the Associated Press. Arizonans have voted on six immigration-related ballot measures since 2000, approving five measures and rejecting one, according to Ballotpedia.

According to the statewide survey called the Arizona Voters’ Agenda, 82% of Arizonans agree with the statement: “The current influx of thousands of migrants at the southern border is an international humanitarian and refugee crisis. Our leaders must work together to find a bipartisan solution to this problem.”

Who is for it?

The proposal was initiated by Republican leaders. While federal law already prohibits the unauthorized entry of migrants into the U.S., proponents of Prop. 314 say it’s needed because the federal government hasn’t done enough to stop people from crossing illegally.

Who is against it?

Opponents say the proposal would lead to racial profiling, hurt Arizona’s reputation in the business world and carry huge unfunded costs for police departments that don’t typically enforce immigration law. Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a similar measure in March and denounced the effort to bring the issue to voters. Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), Poder in Action, Phoenix Legal Action Network and others sued to try to block the proposal from the ballot, but the lawsuit was dismissed. Groups including the ACLU of Arizona, the League of Women Voters of Arizona and the Bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference submitted arguments in opposition to Prop. 314 to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.

Learn more about ballot propositions and register to vote

See the ballot language and arguments for and against in the pamphlet from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office

The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office is hosting three ballot measure town hall meetings. Details are here. They will be held:

Saturday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. at the Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff
Saturday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m. at the Pima Community College downtown campus in Tucson
Saturday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix

The Pima County Republican Party is hosting three meetups to learn about the propositions that will be on your ballot. More event details here. They will be held:

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 5:30 p.m. at 210 W. Continental Road, Suite 203 in Green Valley
Friday, Sept. 27, 6 p.m. at Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene
Wednesday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m. at The Bridge Christian Church in Tucson

Register to vote by Oct. 7. You can learn more about how to do so on the Pima County Recorder website. If you’ve moved recently, you’ll need to update your voter registration with your new address.