Rural Arizona Engagement (RAZE) Statement on Recent ICE Raids in Arizona

Rural Arizona communities know what real safety looks like. It is neighbors looking out for neighbors, families going to work without fear, and children feeling safe at school. What we saw from Phoenix was the opposite. Militarized ICE operations using excessive force and intimidation are not about public safety. They are violent tactics that destabilize working families and endanger all Arizonans.

I-9 audits and workplace checks do not require pepper spray, large deployments of armed agents, or discriminatory treatment. These actions traumatize communities, disrupt local businesses, and normalize fear.

From a rural lens, we believe safety comes from trust, dignity, and community power, not federal force.

We are calling on Governor Katie Hobbs to stand strong and unapologetically say ICE out of Arizona. We urge our senators to vote no on any additional funding that would expand these harmful enforcement practices and further terrorize our communities.

Our communities deserve protection, not persecution.