Arizona lawmakers OK ‘ICE Act’ to ensure cooperation with federal immigration laws

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 1164, also known as the “AZ ICE Act,” which prohibits state government entities from interfering with federal immigration authorities.

The bill passed the Arizona House on Thursday with broad Republican support and is now headed to Gov. Katie Hobbs’ desk.

“For the good of our state, I hope she signs this bill. It’s time for the Governor to put politics and partisan animosity towards President Trump aside,” Senate President Warren Peterson said in a statement.

Gov. Hobbs has expressed willingness to work across the aisle on border issues but has stopped short of endorsing this specific measure.

The legislation requires county sheriff’s offices and the Arizona Department of Corrections to ensure they enter 287(g) agreements with the federal government by Jan. 1, 2026.

“We shouldn’t tie the hands of Arizona law enforcement when the federal government is getting it wrong,” governor’s office spokesperson Christian Slater told Capitol Media Services earlier this year.

The agreement would authorize U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to delegate officers to perform certain immigration officer duties to make it easier and faster to deport illegal immigrants, particularly criminal noncitizens, who are to be removed from the U.S. before they are released from custody.

“I applaud my colleagues in both the House and Senate for supporting this vital action to help safeguard our communities from dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” said Petersen. “I also owe a big ‘thank you’ to our sheriffs, especially Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association, for continuous collaboration and support on this legislation.”

The law, if passed, requires law enforcement to comply with immigration detainer requests and directs more funding to law enforcement to ensure this law is being implemented.

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