Attorney General Kris Mayes claimed Arizonans can shoot at ICE agents under the state’s self-defense laws.
Mayes gave the green light on the shooting of federal law enforcement during an exclusive interview with 12News on Tuesday. The attorney general said she would protect Arizonans, and that they would have a reasonable defense for not recognizing federal law enforcement.
“[W]e have a Stand Your Ground law that says that if you reasonably believe your life is in danger and you’re in your house or your car or on your property that you could defend yourself with lethal force,” said Mayes. “This is a Don’t Tread on Me state.”
Mayes then blamed the Republican-led legislature for allowing this alleged loophole she highlighted in her interview.
“We’re a Stand Your Ground state. We have one of the most expansive Stand Your Ground laws in this country that rivals even Florida. We also have a lot of guns in Arizona. We’re a gun culture in this state,” said Mayes. “It’s kind of a recipe for disaster. Because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks.”
Mayes advised ICE to take their masks off and identify themselves.
“If you’re being attacked by someone who is not identified as a peace officer, how do you know [not to shoot them]?” asked Mayes.
The attorney general also created a reporting page online to submit reports of ICE activities for potential prosecution.
“We want people to record ICE in the state of Arizona,” said Mayes.
The attorney general said she had not witnessed any obstruction of immigration enforcement activities in Arizona. Mayes indicated ICE and their “thuggish behavior” was to blame for the rioters in Minneapolis, Minnesota following the shooting of Renee Good.
“It’s a combustible situation being caused by ICE,” said Mayes.
Mayes said she would prosecute ICE agents for “assault, murder, unlawful imprisonment, and other state crimes.” She said that would only prosecute outside the scope of regular duties of federal agents, citing assault and murder.
“You cannot assault a person who is peacefully protesting,” said Mayes. “What ICE is doing in Arizona is making us less safe, not more safe.”
Mayes expressed outrage over the detainment of Native Americans for suspected immigration violations.
Mayes also dismissed ICE agents as “very poorly trained” and weren’t “real law enforcement.” She estimated the additional officers amounted to 30 to 50 agents.
“I don’t think they’re real law enforcement based on their lack of training,” said Mayes. “My message to ICE as they ramp up here in Arizona, number one I hope they don’t. We certainly don’t need badly trained ICE officers in this state. And on that point I would add, based on that understanding they receive less than half the training that the average new Phoenix police officer gets. PPD gets 700 hours of training, which is something like 17 weeks. ICE officers are only getting about six weeks at most of training.”
The attorney general criticized Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan for clarifying his remarks on equal enforcement of laws to ICE to include his support for federal law enforcement.
“I think Sheridan should have stuck with his first answer,” said Mayes.
Rep. David Schweikert, a Republican candidate for governor, published a lengthy statement to social media criticizing Mayes’ remarks as “reckless” and a denial of present threats caused by the mass illegal immigration that occurred under President Joe Biden.
Congressman Abe Hamadeh condemned Mayes’ comments regarding ICE Agents and misleading the public on Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
“Kris Mayes’ comments justifying the murder of our ICE agents were reprehensible but entirely predictable,” said Hamadeh.
“This was the attorney general of Arizona freelancing a scenario where bullets start flying and then shrugging it off as ‘just the law.’ That is reckless on its face,” said Schweikert. “If your job is to enforce the law, you do not go on TV and hand out a permission structure for violence, then act surprised when people hear it as a green light. Words matter. Especially when they come from the state’s top lawyer.”
.@RepAbeHamadeh has just issued a new press release condemning illegitimate Arizona AG Kris Mayes for her despicable rhetoric against ICE agents and for misleading the public on Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” law. https://t.co/bSI59rvd20
— Olivia Stone (@OliviaStonePR) January 23, 2026
Kris Mayes wrapped her comments in “don’t tread on me,” then went on television and explained how Arizona’s stand your ground law could justify shooting at masked federal agents if someone can’t identify them as law enforcement.
Let’s not pretend this was some careful legal…
— David Schweikert (@DavidSchweikert) January 23, 2026
The Arizona Police Association (APA), likewise, called Mayes’ remarks “reckless,” as well as “deeply troubling and dangerous” in a follow up 12News interview, given that state and local law enforcement don’t always wear traditional uniforms either. APA executive director Joe Clure said the lack of identification doesn’t diminish legal authority or status as law enforcement.
“In that context, Attorney General Mayes went on to describe scenarios under which a person could claim legal justification for shooting a law enforcement officer, specifically citing the possibility that ICE agents might not be easily identifiable due to masks or nontraditional uniforms,” said Clure. “Publicly speculating about how someone might legally justify shooting an ICE agent sends a dangerous and irresponsible message, particularly in an already tense and polarized environment.”
AZ Mays comments are IDIOTIC.
Mays said; “If some comes at me…”
When that happens; She’s going to cower and run and hide.
Why? Because AG Mays has a 20-Agent Security Detail 24/7.
Bawhhhhhhhhh….
She’s just mad that the ICE shooting was a GOODE SHOOTING.
Btw, ICE is doing a PRETTI GOODE job in Minnesota.
Note to AZ Mayes;
Follow Police Commands;
Don’t CCW in a Riot AND;
DON’T Interject yourself into a Police Operation while Armed.
If Mr Pretti followed these rules he’d be alive today.
But Pretti chose to be STUPID!
Very clever and spot on.
Wouldn’t MAYES comments violate AZ State Bar Ethics rules?
She needs a AZ. BAR Ethics investigation NOW!
To the person who posted under the name “ANTIFA;”
Care to post your real name and address?
We all know that you’re a COWARD for posting threats anonymously.
Be a Man, or a Woman and post you’re name and address.
For decades I thought liberals were simply ignorant. After years of providing factual, rational arguments that were not comprehended, I concluded they were simply stupid. It has come to bear that I was wrong. They are insane. Moreover, we have a harridan in the Governor’s office.
The Bible says things that were meant for good will be portrayed as evil and things that are evil will be portrayed as good.
and the Bible says Jesus said, “play dumb til I get back”
Comments like that are definitely coming from her opinion not law. As such she is acting irresponsibly to her position. I believe resigning is the only answer to this. Because of her party affiliation she will not so we need to do the next step which is to remove her by the ballot.
GOOD! We need to kill all those ICE pigs before they kill all of us first!
Your comment defines you.
Genius is not one of your traits, is it?
Are you somalian or illegal, if not, what are you worried about? I’m a law abiding citizen aren’t you?
Says the coward
if someone takes her up on it – and shoots a cop – or kills a cop – perhaps she’ll be implicated with some jail time ‘ the Mayes made me do it’ the AG said it was ok and a good shoot
“If you’re being attacked by someone who is not identified as a peace officer, how do you know [not to shoot them]?”
This is one of the most irresponsible comments I have ever seen from an Arizona Attorney General. She is an Arizona law enforcement officer. She should know better than this. She will be responsible for all the injuries to Arizona citizens who follow her questionable advice.
Questionable?
“live by the sword – die by the sword” – just a reminder for the AG to consider when she promotes the shooting of others… that is the biblical context of ‘living by the sword
I can only believe that this woman is insane. WTH is she even thinking? Insanity, she should be the first arrested in a “surprise raid”, then let someone else not of her demented party take over. Really!!
She is a despicable person and should immediately resign with seditious Kelly and Gallego in tow. Why voters are not out on the street demanding their resignations?
The badge and large ICE letters on their apparel doesn’t clue you in? Last time I checked illegals aren’t allowed firearms or due process as they are ILLEGAL, they broke the law and are criminals. AZ GOP will do nothing, she won the infinity ballot election during Covid, the conservatives here did absolutely nothing to stop.
Just another frustrated cat woman who is in
over her head and is alefyist democrap who
supposedly lnow the law! Guess she does
not understand the federal laws that are
being enforced. As to the face masks how
many has she had arrested and prosecuted
for weating them? To self absorbed to see
the state become a retarded kalif clone.
Time nor a no knock raid and arrest at 3AM for this POS. But then Pam Bondi is a deep state plant and will do nothing. This is a direct threat to federal agents enforcing federal law. She should be in jail already.
Krissy, does that theory apply when the “perpetrator” in your fantasy is an officer of the law and is holding a warrant for arrest? Someone needs to check her on-line-acquired “law degree”.
Here’s the deal. The VAST MAJORITY of ICE detainees/arrestees are felons and LEGALLY cannot possess a firearm. Therefore the Stand Your Ground law is inapplicable. The AG is a hack and deserves whatever she gets.
What the f**k is wrong with her. Shoot an officer? Maybe she should walk her talk and let’s see what happens…
If AZ cannot throw out this awful, incredibly politcal example of a state’s #1 LEO, this November, all is lost for the Grand Canyon State.
The sheeple that we have in lieu of informed voters will keep her with imbecile Hobbs.
Satanic evil!
She is a radical, un-hinged criminal. Her statements alone should justify impeachment.
Stolen elections have consequences
I knew she was stupid but to spout lies, and incite violence as she did proves she is ignorant. She should be removed from office! I am glad we have the sheriff that we have here in Maricopa county and that the Arizona peace officers association called her lies reckless, which was putting it mildly.
When someone dies due to her lies she should be prosecuted by the federal government.
If a Democrat President sent heavily armed masked goons into the community to harass people in there homes, cars, and places of work these GOP critics would be the first to grab their guns. Hypocrites. So much for the “smaller government” ideologues.
You go ahead and believe that if that’s what gets you through life
I was born in Tucson. I now live in Pinal County, in my life I have never heard anything like this. Maricopa county Sheriff, Pinal County Sheriff and others have promised to protect ICE Agents. She is the only threat to my life that I see.
B.S.
Another angry, middle-aged lesbian.
She might sheld Arizonans from state prosecution but the Feds would see it differently provided they even made it to an arrest and not a body bag. What a dumb@ss we have as AG. One has to wonder if her was a DEI appointment of the truly stupid?
And if I did or anyone else does she will be the first one to prosecute. How this woman ever got elected is beyond me.
RIGGED ELECTION, that’s how.
Stirring the pot with this recipe for disaster!
How dare she offer protection and justification for criminals to shot Law Enforcement.
Why anyone would take legal advice from this ‘AG’ is beyond me. Might I suggest that you put yourself into a situation at the nearest ICE operation and demonstrate how the ‘Stand your Ground’ laws are employed. Lead by example.
Impeachment now!
AMEN !
perhaps its time to start to carry – who knows who else she will ok to shoot at.. Christians and Republicans