Southern state lawmakers are cracking down on immigration

Some Republicans want to take the issue of immigration directly to voters, proposing a resolution that could end up on the November 2024 ballot.

The border remains at the top of the agenda for lawmakers across the country. This fiscal year, border crossings along the southwest border increased 10% compared to the same time the previous year, and illegal entry into Arizona remains high. 

So far this year, migrant encounters in the Tucson sector spiked 130% compared to last year. To deter migrants from calling the Sun Belt state home, Republican lawmakers in Arizona announced a plan they are touting as “one of the toughest immigration laws ever written."

Arizona's Republican House Speaker Ben Toma introduced a proposal to expand and repurpose a federal employment verification program known as E-verify.

"If this ballot initiative passes, illegal aliens will have every reason to leave the state of Arizona," said Toma. 

It's already required in Arizona, but under the new plan employers will face a felony if they fail to verify their employee’s legal status.