Has Trump’s ‘border czar’ threatened to arrest Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs if she interferes with federal immigration enforcement?

Though “border czar” Tom Homan has expressed support for the investigation or prosecution of leaders of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions — entities that restrict local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — he has not directly threatened to arrest Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. 

Arizona is not a sanctuary state, and efforts to formally establish sanctuary cities within its borders have failed. In April, however, Hobbs vetoed legislation that would have compelled state and local agencies to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — something federal courts have consistently ruled cannot be mandated. 

Nationwide, hundreds of municipalities and more than a dozen states have adopted sanctuary policies. An April 2025 executive order sought to withhold federal funding from these jurisdictions, but the order has been challenged in court. Federal judges struck down a similar policy during Trump’s first term.