1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose SB 1570, Senator Jake Hoffman's legislation requiring county recorders and boards of supervisors to coordinate written agreements with federal immigration authorities to provide a federal presence at early voting sites, Election Day polling places, and ballot drop box locations during the 2026 general election. While the bill's sponsors claim this measure addresses election security concerns, requiring federal immigration authorities at voting locations will have a chilling effect on voter participation among eligible citizens. Many naturalized citizens, legal permanent residents' family members, and mixed-status households will reasonably fear that immigration enforcement presence at polling places could lead to questioning, detention, or family separation. This fear exists regardless of assurances that personnel cannot question voters about eligibility, because the visible presence of immigration authorities carries inherent intimidation. Arizona already has robust election security measures in place. County recorders verify voter eligibility through existing state and federal databases before ballots are counted. Adding immigration enforcement to this process does not address any documented gap in election administration. Instead, it creates a solution in search of a problem while risking the suppression of lawful votes from eligible citizens who may avoid polling places due to fear. The Pew Research Center polling cited by supporters shows that nine in ten voters want to stop ineligible voting, but there is no evidence that federal immigration presence achieves this goal better than current verification systems. What this legislation will accomplish is making voting locations feel less welcoming and accessible to communities that have every legal right to participate in our democracy. Senator Wendy Rogers states this legislation focuses on prevention and coordination, but the real prevention needed is stopping voter intimidation before it starts. Bringing federal immigration authorities into the voting process crosses a line that will undermine rather than rebuild public confidence in elections. I urge you to vote no on SB 1570 when it comes before the Senate Judiciary & Elections Committee and oppose any similar measures that would place immigration enforcement at voting locations.