PHOENIX, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has released a video statement directly addressing the backlash to her recent comments about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), insisting she does not want law enforcement put in harm’s way while defending her criticism of federal immigration tactics.
Watch her statement in video below:
“I want to speak directly to Arizona law enforcement and reiterate my support and appreciation for the work you do every day,” Mayes says in the video, a transcript of which was provided to reporters. “The idea that I would want the life of any member of law enforcement put in danger is wrong, offensive, and an outright lie. Danger to law enforcement is the very thing I want to avoid in Arizona.”
Mayes’ statement came after media coverage and statements from some law enforcement groups and Republican lawmakers interpreted her earlier warnings about masked federal agents and Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” statutes as suggesting residents could use lethal force against ICE. In the new video, she said those reports mischaracterized her remarks and reiterated she was warning about the risks posed by unmarked, poorly identified operations.
“Arizonans do not want masked agents entering their homes without warrants. It is un‑American and threatens the rights and safety of everyone in our state,” she said. Mayes also cited recent incidents in other states, naming Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti as Americans who were killed “at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis,” and said those events inform her concerns about a potential federal surge of agents into Arizona.
While insisting she will not be silenced, Mayes sought to reassure state and local law enforcement of her support. “I will always stand in support of Arizona’s sheriffs and police departments, and my office will continue to work with our state, local, and tribal partners to keep Arizona safe and peaceful,” she said. She also urged the Trump administration to “stop this chaos and destruction and pull this country back from the brink.”
Mayes closed the video with a vow to defend the Constitution if she remains Arizona’s attorney general: “And as long as I am Arizona’s attorney general, I will never waver in my defense of the United States Constitution and the rights it guarantees the people of this great nation.”
The video is the latest development in a rapidly unfolding dispute that has included public criticism from some police groups and calls from a handful of lawmakers for Mayes to step down. Mayes’ office has said she was raising legal and public‑safety concerns about federal tactics, not encouraging violence.
