Executive Summary
- Arizona AG Kris Mayes has launched a secure portal for reporting alleged misconduct by federal agents, including ICE and CBP.
- The system allows the public to upload videos and photos anonymously to document potential unlawful activity.
- The collected data aims to support potential state-led investigations or litigation regarding federal enforcement tactics.
- The Attorney General emphasized expectations for agents to avoid sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals, and churches.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has introduced a new online platform intended to facilitate public reporting of alleged misconduct by federal law enforcement personnel, specifically focusing on agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Homeland Security Investigations. The portal aims to gather documentation, including videos and photographs, of encounters where residents believe federal officers are acting unlawfully.
The initiative allows members of the public to submit evidence anonymously, with the Attorney General’s office pledging to keep contact information confidential. Richie Taylor, communications director for Attorney General Mayes, indicated that the portal was developed in response to growing apprehension within Arizona communities regarding potential escalations in federal enforcement activities. “There’s a lot of fear in Arizona communities right now about what could happen if ICE escalates activity,” Taylor stated, noting similar concerns observed in other jurisdictions.
According to the Attorney General’s office, the data collected through the portal is intended to create a comprehensive public record of federal agent conduct. This documentation could potentially be utilized as evidence should the state decide to launch independent investigations or pursue litigation against federal agencies. The submissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by state legal staff.
In conjunction with the portal’s launch, Attorney General Mayes reiterated her office’s expectations for federal operations within the state. “I want to remind all federal agents of my expectations for them in our state: respect the law, do not mask, deescalate violence when possible and stay out of schools, hospitals and churches,” Mayes said in a statement on the portal. Taylor acknowledged that while federal agencies may operate under different interpretations of their authority, the state intends to enforce a clear message regarding the sanctity of sensitive community locations.
State Oversight and Jurisdictional Dynamics
This initiative represents a significant operational shift in how state authorities attempt to monitor federal enforcement within their borders. By soliciting citizen-generated evidence, the Attorney General’s office is effectively crowdsourcing documentation that could serve as the foundation for future litigation regarding state sovereignty and civil rights protections. While federal supremacy generally governs immigration enforcement, this portal suggests a strategy of rigorous oversight to challenge specific enforcement tactics rather than the authority itself. It is important to note that reports submitted through this system constitute allegations of misconduct, and all individuals and federal personnel are presumed innocent of any wrongdoing until proven guilty in a court of law or through an official adjudication process.
