Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes Faces Backlash Over ICE Remarks

In a Jan. 20, 2026 televised interview with KPNX-TV's Brahm Resnik, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said she does not consider Immigration and Customs Enforcement "officers" to be "real law enforcement," according to the interview.

Mayes told viewers she would "watch" ICE and promised to "investigate" and "prosecute" if agents violate Arizona law, and she cited the state's Stand Your Ground law when questioning how masked agents would be identified, according to the interview.

The Arizona Police Association called Mayes' remarks "reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous" in a Jan. 22, 2026 letter, and Arizona Senate Majority Leader John Kavanaugh demanded Mayes "step down in disgrace" in a Jan. 23, 2026 letter, his office said.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the New York Post that Mayes' comments were "a direct threat calling for violence" and warned that "this kind of rhetoric is going to get someone killed," DHS said.

Mayes urged protesters to remain peaceful in the Jan. 20 interview but also said "you're not allowed to shoot peace officers" while questioning how people would know an agent's identity, a contested account that critics say risks encouraging violence, her remarks show.