Grand Canyon Times

Arizona State Rep. Steve Montenegro (R-Goodyear), who was elected Speaker of the House earlier this month, criticized Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs for her delayed acknowledgment of the border crisis. Montenegro contended that Hobbs, after spending two years ignoring the issue, is now using the border situation to gain political advantage as she positions herself for a 2026 campaign while failing to cooperate with federal efforts to secure the region.

According to Fox News, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs stated that the state will not support President-elect Donald Trump's proposed mass deportation plan, citing concerns about community harm and the diversion of law enforcement resources. Hobbs emphasized the importance of continued collaboration with federal partners on border security and expressed hope that the incoming administration would consider local expertise. She joins other Democratic leaders in pledging non-cooperation, despite Arizona being a border and swing state that supported Trump in the recent election. 

“For two years, Katie Hobbs has done her best Kamala Harris impression when it comes to ignoring the crisis on our border,” Rep. Montenegro said. “Now, just two weeks after Arizona and the country delivered its final verdict on Harris, Katie Hobbs is trying to jumpstart her 2026 campaign by realizing Arizona has a southern border and that there is a crisis. We don't need politicians posturing, we need real solutions, and while Hobbs is quick to embrace a photo op at the border, she is also publicly refusing to assist President Trump and our federal government in doing what it needs to do to secure it. Arizonans are not going to be fooled by this.”

Trump's team made it clear they would proceed with the plan despite opposition from Democratic officials. Tom Homan, appointed as “border czar” by President-elect Trump, emphasized that those unwilling to cooperate should step aside, asserting that the plan will move forward regardless.

As previously reported, in Fiscal Year 2024, the Tucson Sector saw 463,567 encounters with illegal immigrants, a 24.1% increase from the previous year. This makes Tucson the sector with the highest number of encounters along the southwest border. Additionally, authorities made 49,450 arrests involving individuals with prior criminal convictions or existing warrants, contributing to a record-high year for border enforcement in the area.

Montenegro was first elected to the Arizona House in 2008, representing District 12. He served until 2016 and then served one term in the Arizona Senate for District 13 from 2017 to 2018. In 2022, Montenegro was elected again to the Arizona House, representing District 29.