The plan expands the well-known Castle Doctrine law (which claims self-defense), so it would allow the use of lethal force if the alleged intruder is on the shooter’s land or not, but feels threatened.

For Democrats opposed to this rule, extrajudicial executions would be authorized.

Although the proposal does not mention immigrants, legislator Justin Heap made it clear that his proposal (HB2843) is part of an action related to the crossing of undocumented immigrants.

Heap, from District 10, said in a hearing at the state House that the objective of this bill is that landowners can open fire against anyone they consider to be illegally crossing their property.

Local media recall that Arizona, in the western part of the country, has a very strong history in terms of immigration laws, but now everything indicates that, if what is being cooked up is approved, they would go to the next level.

This is part of a broader anti-immigrant movement we’ve seen coming from the right, whose goal is to dehumanize and denigrate people who come to this country seeking asylum,” said Democratic Representative Analise Ortiz, of the Phoenix area, quoted by NBC News.

The rule, despite an eventual breakthrough in the state Congress, would face the possibility that Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs would veto it. Arizona will be one of the key states in the Nov. 5 election.

For example, in 2020, 74 percent of Latino voters supported candidate Joe Biden at that time.

mh/abo/oda/dfm