Democrat gubernatorial hopeful Katie Hobbs is again facing intense blowback during her campaign, after seemingly flip-flopping her position on Title 42.
Title 42 is a public health order from the Trump administration that allowed border officials to turn away individuals due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. President Joe Biden’s administration is seeking to end the policy.
However, many state officials are seeking legal options to stop the decision
If the policy ends in late May, border experts are projecting a dramatic surge in migrants attempting to cross the boundaries.
In an interview with Politics Unplugged, Hobbs said that Title 42 “isn’t working,” suggesting her support for Biden’s decision.
However, in a recent CNN report, the current Secretary of State was quoted as calling it a “rash decision” and said removing the measure “without a clear plan to secure our border would be a disaster.”
“Ending Title 42 was Biden’s most unpopular policy to date, but no amount of backtracking will allow voters to forget that Katie Hobbs supported the move for weeks,” said Republican Governors Association spokesman Will Reinert. “Arizona needs a governor with a firm understanding of the importance of a secure border, not a weak politician like Hobbs who only reverses her open border policy when polling craters.”
Furthermore, Republican candidates running for the position utilized the opportunity to attack their potential opponents in the general election.
“Her reversal today is transparently political and disingenuous, but I will not allow her to walk away from her own words,” added GOP gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor-Robson. “Arizona cannot afford to elect a windsock. I’ll be the conservative fighter Arizona needs to push back against the Biden administration and execute my tough, 6-point plan to bring order to our southern border.”
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Katie Hobbs” by Video.Â
