Arizona’s Democratic Leaders Claim Illegal Immigrants Are Their ‘Constituents’

September 5, 2025 ADI Staff Reporter
stanton
Rep. Greg Stanton

Arizona’s Democratic electeds in Washington are using the power of their offices to advocate for non-constituents: illegal immigrants under ICE detention.

Specifically, these Democratic leaders are advocating for the illegal immigrants detained at the Eloy Detention Center, a minimum-security private prison between Phoenix and Tucson.

By definition, only those who are eligible to vote count as constituents. It is illegal for illegal immigrants to vote. One of the punishments for illegal voting would be deportation.

Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari was the latest to visit the Eloy Detention Center — last week’s trip being her second this year.

In this visit, Ansari demanded cancer treatments for one of the detained illegal immigrants, Arbella “Yari” Rodriguez.

Ansari alleged ICE detainees were put in “dirty and uninhabitable living conditions” in addition to a lack of medical and mental health care. ICE denied the allegations.

Ansari visited back in May as well. During that visit, Ansari clarified that she was using congressional time and resources on solving problems for non-constituents.

“I was denied a meeting with one of my own constituents with whom we have an open and ongoing case in my office, as well as other folks we were originally told we could meet with,” said Ansari.

Ansari’s latest trip came on the heels of Senator Mark Kelly’s trip at the beginning of August. Kelly went to bat for the release of two women he claimed to be his constituents: Kelly Yu and Maria Pelaez.

Yu, a Chinese citizen, entered the country illegally in 2004 while pregnant, and had orders for removal in 2005; her subsequent appeals were denied, and her final appeal was dismissed in 2016.

An Immigrant’s View: Some Republicans Opposing Deportations Are Wrong

According to AZFree News, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, laid out plainly in a written statement to AZCentral that Yu, who was reportedly trafficked into the U.S. illegally in 2004, has exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the country.

“Lai Kuen Yu, an illegal alien from Hong Kong, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona on February 4, 2004, and two days later was released into the country. She exhausted all her due process and appeals. She has no legal pathways to remain in the U.S.”

Pelaez has lived illegally in the country for 20 years. She was detained by Customs and Border Patrol at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma base. Pelaez traveled to the base to care for her toddler grandchild while her son, an active-duty Marine.

On Wednesday, Kelly and other Democrats demanded answers from the Trump administration regarding the detention and deportation of illegal immigrant service members, veterans, and military families.

Congressman Greg Stanton and Senator Ruben Gallego also conducted visits to ICE detention centers.

Despite their criticisms over deportations, certain Democrats are admitting the policies are working to deter illegal immigration — like Gallego.

“This is a potential success for the president: because they have been successful at shutting down the border, illegal border crossings are at an all-time low,” said Gallego. “There may be some avenue now to move and be sensible or to keep some people here that, you know, they’re not going to be able to have citizenship but they are going to be able to stay here as long as they have a clean background.”

 

About ADI Staff Reporter 14177 Articles
Under the leadership of Editor-in -Chief Huey Freeman, our team of staff reporters bring accurate,timely, and complete news coverage.