(Abdul–Rahman Oladimeji Bello, Headline USA) Republicans in Arizona have criticized Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs for her attempt to scrap a Border Strike Force.
The governor, who is still fighting court challenges to her dubious midterm alleged win over Republican Kari Lake, announced plans to reallocate the strike force’s funds set up by the state’s former Gov. Doug Ducey in 2015, Fox News reported. Hobbs claimed they could put the funds into a more purposeful means like coordinating a law enforcement response at the border.
“What our budget intends to do is to reallocate those funds where they can be most purposeful,” Hobbs said during a border tour with the Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“I’ve said this before: recent reporting has indicated it’s not a force, it’s not striking at the border, so we can repurpose those dollars to where they can be more beneficial in coordinating a law enforcement response at the border.”
Information on the Strike Force’s website reveals that the force belongs to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The force’s mission is to target border crimes and provide the best approach to help secure the state’s border and “thwart transnational criminal organizations.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, one of the highest-ranking Democrats in Arizona, supported Hobbs’s decision to ditch the force.
House Republicans are firmly against this decision as they believe it will only weaken border security, which is already weak enough with the immigration crisis.
“In the same manner that Joe Biden has destroyed our country with his welcomed support for the prolonged lawlessness and drug crisis along our southern border, Katie Hobbs is destroying Arizona in three short months since taking office by her reckless dismantling of the Border Strike Task Force,” said Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. “Countless more people will die from Hobbs’ open border policies.”
Arizona GOP Rep. Debbie Lesko also opposed the decision, saying, “It is unacceptable that Governor Hobbs would take away this important resource meant to restore Arizona’s border security and stop the criminal cartels.”
That sentiment was shared by Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., who ripped Hobbs for having misplaced priorities focused on “waging war on “hair discrimination” and vetoing common sense budget proposals that would help everyday Arizonans,” instead of protecting them.
“The Border Strike Task Force was established to protect Arizona’s communities from international criminal organizations – namely the Mexican cartels plaguing our southern border with illicit drug smuggling and human trafficking,” Crane said.
