‘Defend yourself with lethal force’: Arizona AG Kris Mayes shares ‘recipe for disaster’ amid ICE actions

Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General (AG) and a Democrat noted that residents might legally defend themselves against masked . Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents by shooting them if they feel their lives are at risk, citing the state’s self-defense statutes.

While speaking with 12News, she reportedly cautioned that Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which permits citizens to use deadly force if someone perceives an imminent threat, could become a “recipe for disaster” if demonstrators clash with with immigration officers.

The attorney general, elected in 2022, made these remarks as immigration enforcement officers began operating in various areas across the state.

“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 mask" and described ICE “very poorly trained", Mayes stated in the interview.

“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," she added, as per New York Post.

During the interview, the anchor expressed shock at Mayes’ statements, warning that they could be seen as giving residents a “license” to shoot federal agents. Mayes responded that she was simply noting a “fact” rather than promoting violence.

She explained that if someone were confronted by an individual not clearly identifiable as a law enforcement officer, especially someone wearing a mask, it could be difficult to know how to respond. “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," she said.

Mayes promised to take legal action against any ICE agent who breaks state law, following federal operations in Minnesota that led to widespread unrest after a protester, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot when she struck a federal officer with her car during a tense confrontation on January 7.

He slammed Mayes for hypothetically describing a situation involving gunfire and then downplaying it as merely the law. He argued that someone responsible for enforcing the law should not publicly provide what could be seen as authorisation for violence and then be surprised when the public interprets it that way. He emphasised that the words of the state’s chief legal officer carry particular significance.