Amidst legislative debates over border security funding, Santa Cruz County finds itself at the center of controversy following a decision by Arizona state lawmakers. The county was slated to receive $250,000 in grants, but this allocation was blocked, sparking a heated political discussion.
Sheriff David Hathaway of Santa Cruz County made waves when he expressed his intention not to enforce Proposition 314, a measure that empowers sheriffs to engage in immigration law enforcement. During a September hearing with the House Homeland Security Committee, Hathaway, a Democrat, stated, “You know, frankly, I do not want to do [Border Patrol’s] job, and they don’t want to do my job.” (source).
In response, State Senator John Kavanagh, a Republican from Fountain Hills, advocated for the removal of Santa Cruz County from the list of counties eligible for a share of $1 million in border security grants. Kavanagh, who leads the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, argued, “So since he’s expressed hostility to border enforcement and in the end said he didn’t want to do the job, I see no reason to give money directed for this to him.”
The committee, dominated by Republicans, voted along party lines to exclude Santa Cruz County, distributing $800,000 among five other counties, some of which do not border Mexico, such as La Paz, Graham, and Greenlee counties.
Criticism emerged from Democratic committee members who argued the funding decision was unrelated to the recent Proposition 314. Representative Nancy Gutierrez from Tucson remarked, “And so if we take out Santa Cruz County, that is defunding the police. This is the police and we are literally going to defund Santa Cruz County by $250,000.”
Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, also from Tucson, highlighted that the grant program, which predates Proposition 314, supports duties already being executed by the sheriff’s department. She labeled Proposition 314 as “an unfunded mandate,” pointing out the lack of financial support for the additional immigration enforcement duties it entails.
In the wake of these developments, Sheriff Hathaway has not commented publicly. However, Santa Cruz County Manager Jesus Valdez emphasized in a draft letter to lawmakers the importance of the funding for community security. The funds aid in securing resources like vehicles, technology, and weaponry necessary for maintaining border safety, he stated, adding that a funding cut would exacerbate issues such as gang activity and transnational crime.
Despite the current decision, Republicans on the committee have left an opportunity for Santa Cruz County to regain the lost funding. Representative David Livingston, the committee’s vice chairman, suggested the county and its sheriff align on enforcing state laws. “The sheriff needs to correct these statements, and anybody else at the county that makes statements correcting it for him is not good enough, since he is an elected official that made those statements,” Livingston noted, inviting Hathaway to discuss the matter further.
