PHOENIX — Proposition 314, a measure to make entering Arizona from Mexico outside a designated port of entry a state crime, appeared on track for approval Tuesday night, garnering 61.3% of the vote among 1.7 million ballots counted, as reported by the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
The Republican-backed “Immigration and Border Law Enforcement Measure” allows state and local law enforcement to arrest individuals who cross the border illegally and authorizes Arizona judges to issue deportation orders for those refusing to leave after conviction. However, this provision would only take effect if federal courts uphold a similar Texas law currently under review.
Proposition 314 expands beyond immigration enforcement, also:
- Imposes harsher penalties for fentanyl sales resulting in fatalities.
- Requires immigration status verification for welfare program applicants.
- Enforces stricter employment status verification measures.
The proposition draws comparisons to Arizona’s 2010 “show-me-your-papers” law (SB1070), some of which was ultimately invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court.
