- Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is one of the first Democratic governors to announce her intention of coordinating with the Trump administration’s immigration policies as part of an executive order she signed on Tuesday.
- The order instructs state and local authorities to collaborate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in combating transnational criminal organizations involved in drug smuggling and human trafficking.
- Hobbs said that the executive action represents her and the White House’s “shared commitment to keeping criminals and drugs out of Arizona communities.”
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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, D, is bucking the trend among Democratic governors of not working with President Donald Trump on his illegal immigration crackdown.
With the announcement, Hobbs becomes one of the first Democratic governors to announce her intention of coordinating with the Trump administration’s immigration policies as part of an executive order she signed on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
What does the executive order do?
Hobbs said that the executive action, dubbed “Operation Desert Guardian,” represents her and the White House’s “shared commitment to keeping criminals and drugs out of Arizona communities.”
Her order will include identifying and fixing security holes along Arizona’s southern border while helping to dismantle cartel operations.
Where is the money coming from?
Officials said the funding for the operation will come partially through the state’s $28 million border security fund.
Operation Desert Guardian will also expand on efforts launched by a previous task force designed to end the state’s fentanyl epidemic through a partnership with the CBP and the Arizona National Guard to stop the flow of drugs from the southern border.
How is she bucking a current trend?
Hobbs’ vow to work with Trump comes as many Democratic governors, including J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Kathy Hochul of New York, are refusing to cooperate with the administration’s mass deportation plan.
Why is Hobbs’ situation unique?
Hobbs, however, presides in the only border state considered to be a presidential battleground. She narrowly defeated Republican Kari Lake in 2022, while Trump took the state in the 2024 election.
Political pundits expect Hobbs’ reelection bid to be a close contest come 2026.
Hobbs’ executive order also comes as an NBC News exit poll revealed immigration was the top issue for about 1 in 5 of Arizona’s voters in 2024. Those voters who marked immigration as their top issue broke “near-unanimously” for Trump, according to NBC News.
