Arizona GOP Lawmaker Proposes Legislation to Pay Police for Each Migrant They Help Deport, Critics Call it 'A Racist Bill'

The Arizona Republican-led legislature is considering a bill that would pay law enforcement agencies $2,500 for each undocumented immigrant whose arrest leads to deportation. The so-called "bounty bill" is sponsored by GOP state Senator Jake Hoffman and seeks to establish an "Arizona Deportations Fund," financed by increased taxes on international money transfers.

Supporters of the measure argue it would incentivize police departments to enforce immigration laws effectively and helps recover economic resources they claim are lost through remittances sent abroad. Opponents, including civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers, warn the legislation could promote racial profiling and divert law enforcement from other duties.

"This is a critical mission that Arizona voters overwhelmingly support, and we want to reward the efforts of our hardworking officers," Hoffman stated according to The Associated Press. The bill originally called for that money to be divided up among the arresting officers as compensation for their involvement in the deportation of unauthorized immigrants, but, according to AZ Mirror Hoffman modified it so that the money is sent instead to the police department or sheriff's office they work for.

Critics argue the impact remains the same. "It will supercharge racial profiling across the state," said Noah Schramm, border policy strategist for the Arizona chapter of the ACLU. State Senator Lauren Kuby called it a "racist bill," adding that it instills fear in immigrant communities. Governor Katie Hobbs has vowed to veto the measure, stating that "Arizonans want border security, they don't want to turn hardworking law enforcement officers into bounty hunters."

The Arizona Police Association, the state's largest law enforcement advocacy organization, also opposes the legislation, with its executive director Joe Clure stating that they do not support "monetizing" arrest decisions. Law enforcement agencies, including the Arizona Department of Public Safety, also clarified that no current bounty system exists.

The legislation, however, has passed the Senate Government Committee along party lines and is expected to be approved by the full Senate and House, both controlled by Republicans. Overriding a gubernatorial veto would require Democratic support, which appears unlikely.

Other bounty programs have been popping up across the country amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. In Missouri, Republican State Senator David Gregory has been receiving backlash since early December for pushing a bill through which residents would be paid bounty rewards for turning undocumented immigrants in to law enforcement.

Senate Bill 72 attempts to establish an "Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program" by which Missouri residents would be able to register to be bounty hunters and are subsequently rewarded with $1,000 every time they apprehend an undocumented immigrant. According to NewsNation, the bill also would create a telephone hotline and other reporting methods for people to alert authorities about undocumented immigrants.