Petersen Speaks on Hobbs-Mayes ICE Threat Rift

PHOENIX – Last week marked an unexpected turn in Arizona state politics, as a rift in the state’s executive branch widened. Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs called on fellow Democrat, Attorney General Kris Mayes, to retract recent remarks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Mayes’s comments have prompted renewed scrutiny from legislative leadership over public safety messaging and law enforcement authority.

Mayes’ comments, made in a recent interview with 12News, focused on the potential for confrontation between Arizona residents and federal immigration officers under the state’s Stand Your Ground law. The attorney general warned of escalation risks, particularly in situations involving masked or ununiformed federal agents, intimating that violence against ICE could be considered acceptable.

Governor Hobbs publicly criticized Mayes’s remarks, calling them” inappropriate” and urging Mayes to walk them back. Hobbs said that elected officials have a responsibility to “turn down the temperature” when discussing sensitive law enforcement issues.

Neither the Governor’s nor the Attorney General’s offices provided additional comments.

The disagreement comes as Senate Republicans advanced a more formal rebuke of the attorney general. The Arizona Senate recently passed Senate Resolution 1036, expressing the disapproval of Maye’s public statements regarding the use of force against law enforcement officers and warning that imprecise legal guidance could endanger both officers and the public.

Senate President Warren Petersen said the episode highlights the importance of restraint and clarity from the statewide officials when addressing public safety and law enforcement matters.

“As President of the Arizona Senate, I view the disagreement between Governor Hobbs and Attorney General Mayes as a matter that highlights the importance of responsible leadership and clear communication on issues involving the public safety and law enforcement,” Petersen said.

Petersen pointed to criticism from law enforcement organizations, including the Arizona Police Association, the Arizona Sheriff’s Association, and the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, which argued that the Attorney General’s comments risked undermining trust and increasing the danger to officers in the field.

He also framed the dispute within the broader debate over cooperation among state, local, and federal authorities, contrasting Arizona’s approach with those of other states that have resisted coordination with federal immigration enforcement.

While SR 1036 doesn’t carry the force of law, it does represent a rare instance of the Legislature formally condemning the public statements of a sitting attorney general and raises questions about the boundaries of public legal commentary by constitutional officers.

What remains unresolved is whether the conflict between Hobbs and Mayes will remain rhetorical or escalate. For now, the episode underscores an unusual convergence of executive criticism and legislative censure directed at Arizona’s chief legal officer. It also signals continuing tension over public safety authority and intergovernmental coordination in the state.