Arizona border towns brace for impact from passage of Prop 314

YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — Law enforcement agencies in Arizona border towns are preparing to enforce immigration at a state level after Proposition 314, also known as the Secure The Border Act , passed, with close to 63% of voters in favor as of Thursday's results.

Though most Arizona voters approved the ballot measure, funding remains a crucial question for local police and county sheriffs who will be tasked with a duty that, until recently, has been reserved for the feds.

Crossing the border illegally in between ports of entry has been a federal crime. Now, Prop 314 makes it a state crime, granting police the ability to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering Arizona through Mexico anywhere other than a port of entry.

Under state law, illegal entry will become a class one misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for further offenses; it also gives state judges the power to order deportations.

"We're not aiming to particularly send units out there to be targeting or specifically looking for illegals," said Emmanuel Botello, a San Luis police lieutenant.

While supporters of the bill say it will help secure Arizona's border, Botello believes it's a federal job that requires federal dollars.

"We'll continue to prioritize, protecting life, protecting property of our residents, it will continue to be at the top of our priorities," Botello said.

Yuma Police Chief Thomas Garrity says that while he agrees that immigration should remain at the federal level, they're prepared for the duties Prop 314 entails.

"We don't have additional resources coming in as a result of this, if anything we are getting additional work and additional duties," he said. "To me, that's where the big problem is going to be: the jails."

"We, as a police department, have to prepare, that the policies we have in place and the training we have in place, is going to be fair, constitutional, and respectful to everyone," said Garrity.

Advocates against the bill warn it could lead to racial profiling, but Garrity assures the community that won't be happening in Yuma.

"We're not going to be asking people their immigration status who are victims or witnesses. We're only going to be concentrating on crimes," said Garrity.

Prop 314 is modeled after Texas' SB 4 , which the U.S. Supreme Court is currently reviewing; portions of the bill won't go into effect unless the court rules the Texas law constitutional.

According to the Associated Press, a violator can't be prosecuted until a similar law has been in effect for 60 consecutive days.