GOP legislative update: Senator T.J. Shope

Republican Senator T.J. Shope joined Arizona Horizon for this week’s legislative update.

The first subject was Governor Hobbs’ vetoing of Republican-backed bill “Arizona Border Invasion Act.”

“Our view is that in the last few weeks and months we have seen, the state of Texas for example, obviously the state of Arizona, with thousands of people coming across the border claiming asylum, that probably isn’t the way we think of asylum, being claimed in a normal way over the last several decades,” said Senator Shope.

The bill in question would have made crossing the border without authorization a misdemeanor state crime and a felony for migrants who crossed after being deported or ordered to leave. This was the first bill of the year to be vetoed by Governor Hobbs.

“In one sense, we’re saying ‘yes’ to what most folks with my point of view would say is ‘yes’ to illegal activity and ‘no’ to the actual legal activity that crosses a border, which really makes no sense,” continued Senator Shope.

Senator Shope said immigration has become the biggest issue in the state, citing not only the issue of people coming across the border but drugs, specifically fentanyl, that may be coming across the border as well.

Senator Shope was also asked to weigh in on Senator Sinema’s decision not to run for re-election, and the passing of legalizing clinical use of magic mushrooms in Arizona.