A tense television interview has ignited a political and legal firestorm in Arizona after Attorney General Kris Mayes made remarks suggesting residents could lawfully use deadly force against masked immigration officers if they believe their lives are in danger.
According to the New York Post, the comments came during a sit-down Monday with 12 News anchor Brahm Resnik, as Mayes discussed Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” law and the growing presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents across parts of the state.
The Democratic attorney general warned that the combination of masked federal officers and Arizona’s self-defense statutes could lead to dangerous misunderstandings.
“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 said, describing ICE as “very poorly trained.”
“And we have a Stand Your Ground law that says that if you reasonably believe that your life is in danger and you’re in your house or your car or on your property, that you can defend yourself with lethal force.”
Resnik repeatedly pushed back, expressing concern that her words could be taken as a green light for violence against federal agents. He warned that viewers might interpret her explanation as a “license” to shoot an ICE officer.
Mayes rejected that characterization, insisting she was outlining legal reality rather than promoting violence.
“If you’re being attacked by someone who is not identified as a peace officer — how do you know?” she said, adding that “real cops don’t wear masks.”
“I mean, if somebody comes at me wearing a mask, by the way, I’m a gun owner, and I can’t tell whether they’re a police officer, what am I supposed to do? No, I’m not suggesting people pull out their guns, but this is a don’t tread on me state.”
Mayes, who was elected in 2022, made the remarks as immigration enforcement activity expands in Arizona. She also pledged to prosecute any ICE agent who violates state law.
Her comments followed unrest in Minnesota tied to immigration operations, including a Jan. 7 incident in which a federal officer fatally shot protester Renee Nicole Good after she struck him with her car during a confrontation.
Republicans quickly condemned Mayes’s remarks. Arizona GOP Rep. David Schweikert, a gubernatorial candidate, labeled her rhetoric “reckless” in a post on X.
“Let’s not pretend this was some careful legal seminar,” Schweikert wrote. “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.”
“Words matter. Especially when they come from the state’s top lawyer.”
Federal officials also weighed in. The Department of Homeland Security accused liberal leaders of inflaming tensions and urged them to cool their rhetoric amid an uptick in violence against officers.
“This is direct threat calling for violence against our law enforcement officers — this kind of rhetoric is going to get someone killed,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Thursday night.
“Kris Mayes should be thanking our federal law enforcement for removing these pedophiles, murderers, terrorists, and drug traffickers from their communities—not inciting violence against them.”
Mayes is facing reelection in November.
