Republicans in Arizona are advancing a bill that would expand the state's Castle Doctrine to allow for deadly force to be used on property trespassers.
The legislation, which would likely be vetoed if it reaches the desk of Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs, would legalize the killing of illegal immigrants, who frequently trespass on the property of ranchers when crossing the U.S-Mexico border.
Although the bill does not explicitly reference migrants, Republican state Rep. Justin Heap said in February that the bill was designed to close a loophole that is enabling the flow of migrants into the U.S., the Arizona Mirror reported.
Arizona's Castle Doctrine already allows the use of deadly force against home intruders, if necessary for protection, but the bill would expand the law from a home incursion to a home or property incursion.
The measure defines the word "premises" to mean "any real property or any structure, movable or immovable, permanent or temporary, adapted for either human residence or lodging whether occupied or not."
The trial of Arizona rancher George Alan Kelly, who is accused of fatally shooting migrant Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, began in March, according to The Associated Press. Cuen-Buitimea, 48, was walking through Kelly's 170-acre cattle ranch last year when the incident occurred.
Though Hobbs flipped the swing state's governorship in 2022, the legislature is still controlled by Republicans.
Recent polling shows that Americans are deeply concerned about the southern border crisis and illegal immigration heading into November's elections.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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