Arizona Lawmakers Address ICE Presence at Polling Sites
The proposal, put forward by Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman of Queen Creek as an amendment to Senate Bill 1570, would compel all 15 counties in the state to formalize agreements with ICE. These arrangements would ensure a federal immigration enforcement presence at every location where ballots are submitted or cast, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee is slated to examine the measure later this week as part of the final series of committee deliberations.
Hoffman stated that the purpose of the bill is “to deter violations before they happen, ensure existing laws are followed, and protect the rights of every lawful voter.”
He further remarked: “Just as importantly, the legislation makes clear that voting cannot be disrupted and that no one may be targeted simply for participating in an election. When voters see the rules applied fairly and consistently, confidence in the outcome follows.”
Critics contend that the initiative may discourage voter participation, especially in a state where close to half of residents identify as nonwhite. Federal statutes typically forbid the deployment of military personnel or armed federal officials at polling venues, except to “repel armed enemies of the United States.”
Arizona law already mandates documented proof of citizenship for voter registration and identification verification at polling stations. There is no substantiated proof of extensive noncitizen voting, the newspaper reported.
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