Gillette Torches AZ Dems over Human Smuggling Bust

Representative John Gillette (R-30) is not holding back after a stunning revelation that a Democrat-appointed Arizona Department of Agriculture inspector was arrested for human smuggling. In a blistering statement released, Gillette ripped into Arizona Democrats, accusing them of enabling lawlessness while pretending to champion “immigrant rights” in staged protests outside the Capitol.

“While Democrats were busy throwing tantrums and protesting former ICE Director Tom Homan two weeks ago, one of their own was under criminal investigation for human trafficking,” Gillette said. “We told people — but they didn’t listen.”

This explains every Veto of Republican Border Bills. All the protection and pearl clutching by the left of illegals… this is a new level of criminal stupid. pic.twitter.com/7hqN17zqso

— Rep. John Gillette AZ House LD30 (@AzRepGillette) April 26, 2025

Joshua Castro, now facing serious charges stemming from an arrest made on April 10, 2025, served as an inspector under the administration of Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs. Gillette called the arrest a direct consequence of what he labeled “incompetent leadership from the top down.”

“This isn’t a random embarrassment,” he said. “This is what happens when you put radicals in charge who care more about illegal immigrants than the safety of Arizona families.”

Gillette took a blowtorch to Governor Hobbs’ record, hammering her for vetoing every major public safety and border security bill brought to her desk.

“Governor Hobbs has made it crystal clear: illegals come first, Arizona citizens come last,” he said.

The lawmaker also accused Hobbs and Democrats of running political cover for criminal behavior, just as he says they did during the recent Department of Child Safety (DDD) scandal, through a toxic combination of emotional manipulation, media disinformation, and political theater.

“Our side needs to remember,” Gillette warned. “While we’re solving real problems — border chaos, a broken budget, collapsing state services — Hobbs’ machine is running fake narratives, and some Republicans are dumb enough to fall for it.”

He issued a stern challenge to anyone tempted to parrot Democrat spin: “Why would you side with proven liars, criminals, and budget wreckers who endanger your family and openly groom chaos for political gain?”

Gillette closed with a brutal assessment, quoting Napoleon Bonaparte: “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake (Original French; Ne jamais interrompre votre ennemi lorsqu’il fait une erreur).”

He added. “Democrats are making big, public, criminal mistakes. The truth is crushing them. They’re putting criminals over families, illegals over citizens, and their own political survival over your safety.”

The arrest of a state official for human smuggling adds to a growing list of scandals engulfing Hobbs’ administration, raising urgent questions about Democratic leadership, priorities, and competence at the highest levels of Arizona government.

Representative John Gillette is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving District 30 since January 2023. A retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major with over 35 years of service, Gillette also has experience as a SWAT officer and homicide investigator in Illinois. His professional background includes work in real estate and operations consulting, and he holds a BA in Law. In the legislature, he serves as Vice Chair of the Government and Elections Committee and is a member of the Military Affairs and the Public Safety and Transportation Committees. Gillette resides in Kingman, Arizona, with his wife Jamie, a fellow Army veteran and healthcare provider, and their twin children. He is known for his strong conservative stance on issues such as border security, election integrity, and parental rights in education.