Many of the people currently in office from one particular political party seem to be encouraging lawlessness. Recent statements by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes are disturbing.
On Friday, American Greatness reported:
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) spurred outrage this week after suggesting during an interview that residents may use lethal force against masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents using the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
Arizona’s largest police organization blasted her comments on Friday, calling them “reckless, irresponsible and dangerous to the safety of all law enforcement professionals in this state.”
During an interview with 12 News anchor Brahm Resnik earlier this week, Mayes stated that the law allows individuals to defend themselves with lethal force if they reasonably believe their life is in danger, particularly when facing unidentifiable individuals in plain clothes wearing masks.
“It’s kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks and we have a Stand Your Ground law that says that if you reasonably believe that your life is in danger and you’re in your house or your car or on your property, that you can defend yourself with lethal force,” she said.
How are these statements in keeping with her oath as an elected official to uphold the law?
The article concludes:
The Arizona Police Association (APA) issued a statement Friday calling Mayes’ comments regarding ICE operations and Arizona’s Stand Your Ground Laws “deeply troubling and dangerous.”
The APA represents over 12,000 law enforcement professionals across the state.
“Law enforcement officers at every level, including state, local, and federal agencies, do not always wear traditional uniforms,” explained APA Executive Director Joe Clure. “Officers across Arizona, including the attorney general’s own investigative teams, routinely operate in plain clothes, or wear protective face coverings when circumstances require it. This does not diminish their legal authority or status as law enforcement.”
Words from elected officials matter. It takes only one individual to interpret such commentary as permission or encouragement to use deadly force against police officers.
As Arizona’s chief law enforcement officer, the Attorney General has a responsibility to de-escalate, not inflame. We find these comments reckless, irresponsible and dangerous to the safety of all law enforcement professionals in this state.
The APA urged all elected officials in Arizona to stop politicizing law enforcement and immigration enforcement and instead work toward finding lawful solutions to areas of disagreement.
Removing people from the country who have no legal right to be here should not be a political issue. Where was the outcry when these people were illegally entering the country?