Committee advances bill requiring immediate ICE/CBP notification on arrests despite heavy opposition

The House Committee on Public Safety and Law Enforcement on Tuesday advanced SB 10‑55, a contentious bill that would require immediate notification to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection when a law enforcement official arrests a person who is unlawfully present in the United States.

Kimmy Dillon of America First Works testified in support, describing the bill as a tool to assist federal removal of criminal aliens and to protect communities. "SB 10‑55 is a critical tool that ensures Arizona remains a leader in this mission by mandating the cooperation and transparency necessary to rid our streets of criminal aliens for far too long," Dillon said.

Opponents, including Harrison Redmond of the ACLU of Arizona, said the bill conflicts with current Arizona statute and constitutional protections because it would mandate notification in all arrests and could pressure agencies to run status checks on every arrestee. "SB 10‑55 walks into that carefully constructed framework and destabilizes it," Redmond said, adding that the bill would chill reporting by victims and create unfunded mandates for counties.

Several public commenters emphasized risks to vulnerable people. Lisa Castellanos, a caregiver for a son with severe mental illness who is also a tribal member, told the committee the bill would turn a call for help into "a gamble of life or death," saying that her son does not always carry identification and could be detained incorrectly. "This bill would turn that call into a gamble of life or death," Castellanos said.

Representative Rubson Cruz offered a strike‑everything amendment that would instead restrict the Department of Corrections from contracts that allow the department to receive revenue above telephone system operating costs; Cruz framed that change as addressing high phone costs for incarcerated families. Members debated whether the striker was an appropriate vehicle; opponents called it an attempt to alter the bill’s enforcement intent. The amendment failed by roll call (6 ayes, 8 nays, 1 absent).

After returning to the underlying bill, members explained their votes at length, with supporters saying prompt notification helps federal authorities take custody at jails rather than after release, and opponents warning of civil‑rights and community safety consequences if immigrants and victims stop calling police. The clerk recorded the committee vote to give SB 10‑55 a due‑pass recommendation as 8 ayes, 6 nays and 1 absence.

The committee adjourned without further business. SB 10‑55 will proceed to the next stage of the legislative process.