Biggs Plans to Revive Hobbs’ Vetoed Bills and Eliminate State Income Tax

Andy Biggs announced an Arizona campaign platform Friday built around reviving legislation Governor Katie Hobbs rejected and eliminating the state income tax incrementally if he wins the governor’s office.

The U.S. representative and Republican gubernatorial candidate said he would meet with legislative leaders on his first day in office, projected for November 2026, to reintroduce and sign the measures.

Immigration enforcement sits at the center of the plan. The proposed Arizona ICE Act, formerly SB 1164, would require state and local law enforcement agencies to enter memorandums of agreement with federal agencies, including arrangements such as 287(g) programs.

The measure would also require local officers to honor all ICE detainers. Hobbs vetoed the bill in April 2025, saying Arizona should not “take marching orders from Washington, D.C.” and warning that it placed “unfunded burdens” on local police.

Biggs also proposed eliminating Arizona’s income tax without increasing other taxes. He said the reduction would happen incrementally and take priority over property tax relief for seniors.

Federal enforcement has intensified around the campaign announcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 279 individuals with immigration-related crimes during the week of July 11–17, 2026, including 206 people accused of illegal entry and 56 accused of illegal re-entry.

The first-day agenda would revive three rejected measures

Andy said his administration would pursue three broad pieces of legislation previously blocked during the 2025–2026 sessions:

1. The Arizona ICE Act would compel state and local law enforcement agencies to establish agreements with federal agencies and honor ICE detainers.
2. The tax plan would remove Arizona’s income tax in stages without raising other taxes. The proposal places that goal ahead of property tax relief for seniors.
3. “Florida-style” election laws would seek to speed the reporting of election results. Hobbs previously rejected those measures as “unnecessary and partisan.”

The platform would give local police a formal role in federal immigration enforcement. The proposed agreements could include 287(g) programs, which allow participating state and local agencies to work with federal immigration authorities.

The plan arrives as detention capacity also faces scrutiny. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has faced pressure from Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego to halt the expansion of ICE detention facilities in Surprise and Marana.

The senators cited a lack of transparency with local communities. The proposed facilities are part of the state’s broader debate over cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local governments.

USCIS has tightened filing decisions as the state debate grows

USCIS issued two policy updates on August 5, 2026. One changed how officers handle incomplete immigration benefit requests.

Under Policy Alert PA-2026-02, officers may deny an incomplete request without first sending a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny. The agency said the policy “makes it more difficult for aliens to file frivolous benefit requests” and “restores officers' full discretion to deny a benefit request without first issuing an RFE or NOID.”

USCIS also reaffirmed that deferred action remains an “extraordinary use of prosecutorial discretion.” The agency said officers should use it case by case for compelling humanitarian reasons, according to USCIS Policy Manual PA-2026-01.

A separate USCIS change announced May 22, 2026, directs most Green Card applicants to use consular processing from their home countries instead of adjusting status inside the United States.

Zach Kahler, a USCIS spokesman, said the change returns to what he described as the law’s original purpose:

“We’re returning to the original intent of the law. an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.”

Together, the state proposal and federal changes would affect different parts of the immigration process. The proposed state law concerns local-federal enforcement cooperation, while the USCIS policies govern federal benefit requests and adjustment procedures.

Litigation could shape the immigration bills’ reach

Some measures supported by Andy are already tied to court challenges. Portions of Proposition 314, approved by Arizona voters in 2024, make illegal entry a state crime and are being challenged in federal court.

The litigation could affect how Arizona applies state penalties for immigration-related conduct. The proposed ICE Act would create a separate framework for local agencies’ cooperation with federal authorities.

Critics of eliminating the income tax have warned that the change could reduce money available for public services. They also argue that Arizona could respond with higher fees for government documents, including driver’s licenses.

The campaign proposal does not include a replacement tax increase. It instead calls for an incremental elimination of the tax.

Enforcement numbers are rising as detention plans draw opposition

The District of Arizona’s weekly charging figures show the scale of federal activity immediately before the announcement. Of the 279 people charged from July 11–17, 2026, 206 faced illegal-entry charges and 56 faced illegal-re-entry charges.

The detention expansion has drawn objections from both of Arizona’s Democratic senators. Kelly and Gallego have pressed Mullin to stop planned expansion in Surprise and Marana, citing community transparency concerns.

The federal agencies involved include the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. USCIS operates within the federal immigration system but issued its own filing and prosecutorial-discretion updates.

Andy’s projected first day in office is November 2026. His proposed opening discussions with legislative leaders would determine whether the rejected bills return in their earlier form or move forward with changes.