Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, said the Biden administration had created uncertainty for border-state governors by leaving them to develop their own plans for dealing with expiring terms. Title 42Pandemic-era health policies that have been used to deport immigrants at the southern border.
“There’s a lot of frustration across the board that Washington isn’t doing enough and taking this seriously enough,” Hobbs told Major Garrett, CBS News’ chief Washington correspondent, on “The Takeout.” “Our biggest concern is the influx of people and not having the capacity to deal with them.”
Hobbs appeared on “The Takeout” as part of the McCain Institute’s 10th annual Sedona Forum. The interview was conducted on May 5, as Hobbs was preparing for Thursday’s expiration of Title 42, which has made it possible for the United States to turn back hundreds of thousands of immigrants without processing their asylum claims. Hobbs said he consults with state officials “on a daily basis.”
“I am confident in our readiness to meet this challenge,” Hobbs said. “But we’re doing it essentially without the support of the federal government.”
Hobbs outlined his 5-point plan to prepare for more immigrants seeking asylum after Title 42 expires. As of Thursday, Customs and Border Patrol had processed more than 10,000 immigrants per day across the southern border — a new record for a 24-hour period, a senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told CBS News. As of Wednesday, more than 20,000 migrants were in Border Patrol custody, according to available data.
Hobbs said he has spoken with President Biden about immigration concerns “in the last few weeks.” He has had no conversations about immigration, he said, with Vice President Harris, the administration’s leader, on policies to reduce immigration from Central America.
“We gave them the message,” Hobbs said, referring to the Biden administration. “We want them to act more urgently. I think the federal government is unprepared to lift this policy.”
is asked about Mr. Biden’s re-election campaignHobbs said he was “focused” on state affairs.
“I haven’t weighed in on the presidential election yet,” Hobbs said. “I think things like the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act…are great for Arizona, and I’m excited about the kinds of things he’s delivering.”
Hobbs said he had no concerns about it Health of Western Regional Banks But nervous about an impending recession.
“I think economists are more optimistic than people on the ground,” Hobbs said. He believes “a recession is more likely than economists think.”
Regarding abortion, Hobbs said Arizona, like many states, has seen access dramatically restricted since the Supreme Court. Overturned Roe v. Wade.
“There should be federal protections for abortion,” Hobbs said. “I don’t want to codify Roe, because other things have to happen.”
Abortion after 15 weeks is prohibited in Arizona. A Total banPassed as a regional law, it is being challenged in federal court.
“What I’d like to see for Arizona is a repeal of that full regional ban and then move to a less restrictive ban of 15 weeks,” Hobbs said. “Quite frankly, abortion is a conversation between a woman and her doctor, and there are times when there are no restrictions that fit this particular situation that many of us will never know or understand the circumstances someone has to make a late termination decision. And of course the 15-week ban does not allow for such a situation.”
Hobbs predicted he would reach a budget deal with Arizona’s Republican-led legislature, which he achieved earlier this week. The budget, which drew criticism from some Democrats, did not shrink school voucher allocations — despite Hobbs’ opposition to them and his prediction that universal vouchers, engineered by his Republican predecessor, former Gov. Doug Ducey, would threaten state funding.
“We’re draining resources by expanding our universal vouchers in Arizona,” Hobbs said. “Many budget analysts have looked at our program and said it will bankrupt the state.”
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Major Garrett
