PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity near Valley schools and made it clear that Arizona will not be entering into the federal detention business.
According to ABC 15, last Tuesday an ICE agent was seen walking a child to a south Phoenix elementary school. The People First Project — an organization that tracks ICE activity around the Valley — told the news outlet that the child’s guardian had been detained by ICE.
“I cannot imagine the trauma that child experienced in that situation, how they sat through the rest of the day in their classroom,” Hobbs told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce and Gaydos on Tuesday.
Founder of The People First Project, Clarissa Vela, also told ABC 15 there has been an uptick in ICE interactions near schools and is aware of around 40 cases in the last week.
The governor added that ICE detaining adults while they are walking their children to school doesn’t make anyone safer.
“In fact, it probably creates more danger,” Hobbs said. “Now kids are going to be walking to school alone or not going to school.”
What did Hobbs have to say regarding rumors of an ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ in Arizona?
The governor didn’t mince words when she said that the state will not be going into the federal detention business like Florida has with the state-run “Alligator Alcatraz.”
“The state has not been approached by Secretary (Kristi) Noem, by the Trump administration about going into the federal detention business with them,” Hobbs said. “And so everything we’re hearing really is speculation.”
There is a former prison facility in Marana, north of Tucson, that the state sold after it was closed in 2023 due to being underutilized and costing taxpayers money.
The sale was an open bidding process and the building sold for $15 million.
As far as what is planned for the facility, Hobbs said she doesn’t know and that it is up to the buyer.
The governor noted that the federal government can enter into an agreement with a private contractor, but the state is not interested in a partnership similar to that in Florida.
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