This story was first published in The Copper Courier’s daily newsletter. Want to join the conversation? Sign up here.
Arizona Sen. Warren Petersen, a Republican running to be the state’s next attorney general, stated that he would work with the federal government “to deport everyone who enters this country illegally,” including Arizona’s “Dreamers”—undocumented Arizonans who were brought to the US as children.
Our reporter Sahara Sajjadi covered the story:
“The controversy started after Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes posted on X celebrating the 14th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, created by then-President Barack Obama.
DACA provides temporary deportation relief, work permits, driver’s licenses, and Social Security numbers for some immigrants brought to the US as children.
It earned the gripe of her opponent, state Sen. Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert), who responded to Mayes’ tweet, warning Dreamers to “be ready to be deported or prosecuted.
Arizona is home to more than 18,000 DACA recipients, many of whom are living in heightened fear as they experience longer wait-times on renewal applications under the Trump administration, leaving many in legal limbo.
Some ‘Dreamers’ have indicated feeling like sitting ducks as Trump deploys Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents across the country to detain longtime residents.”
What our newsletter readers said
💬 “I think it is terrible that people in power would send the Daca recipients to another country when in all aspects they are just as ‘American’ as Petersen is.” — Linda P.
💬 “I think Peterson has some good ideas if elected hopefully we can get rid of most of these welfare recipients and help the citizens of Arizona with some well deserved tax relief.” — Jimmy H.
Editor’s note: DACA recipients pay taxes and are not eligible to receive most federal benefits, including Medicaid, Social Security, and food stamps. They have access to limited services related to health and safety, including emergency Medicaid and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
💬 “[DACA] recipients must stay and be given permanent status. I am sick of inhuman treatment of non white populations. No criminal history of course. They should have been made citizens already.” — Cindy C.
💬 “He is absolutely correct and has my vote!” — Jerry A.
💬 “If they deport those who arrived as children, they will be giving Mexico and other countries some of the best educated children we have. These young people are highly motivated to work hard & stay out of trouble. Are we so hard hearted and fearful with a scarcity mindset? This country is built on immigrants.” — Sharon B.
💬 “I think the prior administration’s open border policy was dreadful and the people admitted under it should be sent home. However, I think that the DACA program recipients are in general in a unique situation and should be eligible for application for citizenship assuming they have a clean criminal record and haven’t tried to illegally obtain federal benefits like welfare, medicaid, etc (they will be eligible of course once they have obtained citizenship}. Since they have grown up in the US education program, I also think it’s fair that they are treated as eligible for in-state tuition for advanced education in the state they live, again if they have followed all our laws thus far.” — Gary C.
💬 “Another good reason to vote for Kris Mayes.” — Molly M.
💬 “Horrible to want to deport or prosecute Dreamers!” — Alice E.
💬 “We need to take a look at what positions, (especially those in healthcare), those Dreamers are currently holding and what will be the impact when those positions are not filled. This legislator needs to seriously think about the overall impact of ‘deporting those illegals.’ The Dreamers have a work permit and driver’s licenses, which make these Dreamers productive members of this state. They are obviously paying taxes, buying car insurance and contributing to the state’s economy. If this legislator just wants to be seen as a racist, xenophobic and lapdog to trump, then, please continue with that rhetoric.” — Maria C.
💬 “Unfortunately, this is one more example of an official ignoring the law in favor of gaining favor with our current president. I imagine that everyone who is not a Native American has family who escaped persecution and/or hunger for a chance to live a better life here. In 1903 my Jewish grandparents and family (with a baby) hid overnight in the woods at a border, running across when the guards changed to avoid being sent to Siberia or killed. And now their granddaughter (me) has retired from her job as a professor in health care and is working to help save our country.” — Judy R.
💬 “Most DACA recipients are the children of parents who fled their country for a variety of very valid reasons (crime, death threats, poverty) and came to the US seeking a better future for their children. Those children are now adults and are, for the most part, indistinguishable from citizens their age. They have inherited their parents’ desire to become educated and responsible citizens even though they have none of the rights of citizenship. They go to school, they work, they pay taxes, they contribute to social security. They work in our hospitals, they work in our schools, they work in our grocery stores. These are not “the worst of the worst” nor should they in any way be assumed to be criminals. If Immigration seeks to deport them, the next group will be green card holders, then naturalized citizens and ultimately those citizens who pose some perceived threat to the current president.” – Susan Z.
