Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, likened law enforcement officers who enforce immigration law to violent, aggressive criminals. The secretary of state referred to immigration enforcement as “hooded thugs.”
Fontes leveled the accusation during an interview with KTAR News this week.
Almost immediately after he made the comment, however, Fontes attempted to deny what he said.<
Fontes also claimed that individuals couldn’t be Christians if they supported law enforcement officers administering immigration law. The secretary of state said it was “illegal” and “un-American” to deport illegal immigrants.
“I can’t see how anybody can say they’re a Christian and treat someone from another land in their own land this way,” said Fontes. “It’s mean is what it is. It’s mean-spirited. A lot of these folks are being picked up by, you know, hooded thugs in the street in the most un-American way.”
VIDEO 🚨
Democrat @Adrian_Fontes just went on the radio and smeared Arizona law enforcement officers as "HOODED THUGS" for enforcing border laws
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and then nervously claimed "I didn't say the word thug" after Senator @JohnKavanagh_AZ called him out for it pic.twitter.com/tz8kbi5EhD
— Brian Anderson (@AZBrianAnderson) August 1, 2025
Fontes further shamed Christians supportive of deportations, reclassifying illegal immigrants as “vulnerable populations” and accusing Republicans of “giving up their humanity.”
“At the end of the day what we’re looking at is scaring the hell out of people on purpose because we don’t like them, and it’s an un-Christian based way of not liking people — just because they’re from somewhere else,” said Fontes. “I don’t think our Lord and Savior would be happy with the way these vulnerable populations are being treated.”
Also present for the interview was State Senator John Kavanagh, a Republican and the recently-elected Senate Majority Leader. Kavanagh challenged Fontes’ remarks, particularly Fontes’ description of law enforcement agents as “thugs.” Fontes denied that he had used that descriptor and accused Kavanagh of lying.
“I appreciate what law enforcement agents do when they do it to protect — ” said Fontes.
“But you call them thugs?” interjected Kavanagh.
“I didn’t say the word ‘thug.’ Now you’re lying!” responded Fontes.
The latest court rulings have cast doubts on Fontes’ perspective concerning matters of the law. Earlier this year, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled Fontes broke the law with his 2023 Election Procedures Manual. And last November, a federal court admonished the secretary of state for poor voter roll oversight — a court hearing for which Fontes didn’t show, as the judge noted.
Despite that court response to his administration of voter rolls, Fontes continues to face challenges for failing to clean up the voter rolls.
Fontes was a rumored candidate for the 2026 gubernatorial race, in which he would challenge incumbent Governor Katie Hobbs. In another interview with KTAR earlier this year, Fontes didn’t deny the possibility he would run against Hobbs.
“Let’s be honest: politicians are ambitious people. I’m a politician. I’m an ambitious person. You know, there’s no reason to lie about it and play coy,” said Fontes.
By the next month, however, Fontes again said he planned to run for reelection and not against Hobbs for governor.
“I intend to remain at my post, standing in the breach as Secretary of State, to continue fighting for AZ and defending our democratic process,” stated Fontes.
As a Marine, my job is to defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Our institutions are under grave threat. So I intend to remain at my post, standing in the breach as Secretary of State, to continue fighting for AZ and defending our democratic process. pic.twitter.com/0rXU837ynD
— Adrian Fontes (@Adrian_Fontes) April 24, 2025
The secretary of state’s pattern of ambiguity on whether he would challenge Hobbs goes back to last year. In December he disclosed to The Washington Post that he would run for reelection as secretary of state rather than challenge Hobbs.