The Arizona Police Association, one of the state’s largest law enforcement advocacy organizations, issued a statement late last week, rebuking Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes after she suggested that Arizonans would be justified in shooting and killing ICE agents.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, Mayes, in a recent televised interview, suggested that you have the right to kill masked ICE agents in Arizona. “We’re a gun culture in this state,” she said. “You have these masked Federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks. And we have a Stand Your Ground law that says that if you reasonably believe that your life is in danger, and you’re in your house or your car or on your property, that you can defend yourself with lethal force.”
“You’re not allowed to shoot peace officers,” she added. “But how do you know they’re a peace officer?”
Even 12 News’s Brahm Resnik attempted to push back, noting the possible interpretation of a call for violence, but she doubled down.
Mayes tried to claim that she isn’t giving a “license” to Arizonans to kill ICE agents, but went on to suggest a possible legal defense for somebody who does. “It becomes, did they reasonably know that they were a peace officer, you know?”
WATCH:
Mayes’s police liaison, David Harvey, has since resigned from his position, likely due to her calls for violence against law enforcement officials.
“During a televised interview with 12News journalist Brahm Resnick regarding a potential ICE deployment in Arizona, the Attorney General was asked whether she had a message for protesters. She responded by urging them to remain peaceful, respectful, and restrained, stating she would ‘protect them. That message, standing alone, was appropriate,” the Arizona Police Association said in a statement condemning Mayes’s “reckless” comments.
“However, the interview quickly shifted to a discussion of Arizona’s self-defense and ‘stand your ground’ laws. In that context, Attorney General Mayes went on to describe scenarios under which a person could claim legal justification for shooting a law enforcement officer, specifically citing the possibility that ICE agents might not be easily identifiable due to masks or nontraditional uniforms,” the group adds, noting that Mayes’s comments are “deeply troubling and dangerous.”
The organization further notes that law enforcement officers, including those in Arizona and members of the Attorney General’s own security detail, sometimes wear plainclothes or nontraditional police uniforms with face coverings when necessary.
“Words from elected officials matter. It only takes one unstable individual to interpret such commentary as permission or encouragement to use deadly force against police officers,” the statement continues.
Arizona Police Association Statement on Attorney General Mayes’ Comments Regarding ICE Operations
Phoenix, AZ— Arizona Police Association Executive Director Joe Clure issued the following statement regarding Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ reckless comments regarding ICE… pic.twitter.com/leNrFWHLmT
— Arizona Police Association (@AZPoliceAssc) January 23, 2026
Full statement below:
Arizona Police Association Statement on Attorney General Mayes’ Comments Regarding ICE Operations
Phoenix, AZ— Arizona Police Association Executive Director Joe Clure issued the following statement regarding Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ reckless comments regarding ICE operations and Arizona’s Stand Your Ground Laws:
“Law enforcement is inherently dangerous work. Recent public comments by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes have the potential to make it even more dangerous.
“During a televised interview with 12News journalist Brahm Resnick regarding a potential ICE deployment in Arizona, the Attorney General was asked whether she had a message for protesters. She responded by urging them to remain peaceful, respectful, and restrained, stating she would ‘protect them. That message, standing alone, was appropriate.
“However, the interview quickly shifted to a discussion of Arizona’s self-defense and ‘stand your ground’ laws. In that context, Attorney General Mayes went on to describe scenarios under which a person could claim legal justification for shooting a law enforcement officer, specifically citing the possibility that ICE agents might not be easily identifiable due to masks or nontraditional uniforms.
“Even the interviewer expressed concern and attempted to redirect the conversation. Despite this, the Attorney General continued to outline how deadly force could be justified against law enforcement officers under those circumstances.
“This framing is deeply troubling and dangerous. Law enforcement officers at every level including state, local, and federal agencies do not always wear traditional uniforms. Officers across Arizona, including members of the Attorney General’s own investigative teams, routinely operate in plain clothes or wear protective face coverings when circumstances require it. This does not diminish their legal authority or status as law enforcement.
“ICE agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers carrying out the lawful duties of the federal government. Publicly speculating about how someone might legally justify shooting an ICE agent sends a dangerous and irresponsible message, particularly in an already tense and polarized environment.
“Words from elected officials matter. It only takes one unstable individual to interpret such commentary as permission or encouragement to use deadly force against police officers.
“As Arizona’s chief law enforcement officer, the Attorney General has a responsibility to de-escalate, not inflame. We find these remarks reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous to the safety of all law enforcement professionals in this state.
“The Arizona Police Association urges all elected officials, at every level of government, to stop politicizing law enforcement and immigration enforcement, and instead work collaboratively toward lawful, meaningful, and lasting solutions that do not place officers’ lives at greater risk.”
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