Arizona rancher denies killing Mexican shot dead by border
The lawyer for an Arizona rancher being held on $1 million bond says her client did not shoot and kill the Mexican man whose body was found on his property last month near the U.S.-Mexico border, but earlier that day fired warning shots at smugglers carrying AK-47 rifles and big backpacks on his land.
Supreme Court might have easy outs on elections, immigration
The Supreme Court soon could find itself with easy ways out of two high-profile cases involving immigration and elections, hot topics in Arizona and around the country, if indeed the justices are looking to avoid potentially messy, divisive decisions.
Arizona rancher held on $1M bond in killing near US border
A rancher who lives near Arizona's border with Mexico is being held on a charge of first-degree murder in last week's fatal shooting of a man tentatively identified as a Mexican citizen. His bail was set at $1 million.
Sonora governor criticizes desalination plan
The governor of Sonora, Mexico, is casting doubt on the proposal to put a desalination plant that would treat seawater in Mexico and pump it back to Arizona.
California is lone holdout in Colorado River cuts proposal
Six Western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have agreed on a model to dramatically cut water use in the basin, months after the federal government called for action and an initial deadline passed.
Rain, snow won’t be enough to end West’s drought
The West has been slammed by wet weather this winter: An “atmospheric river” has pummeled California with weeks of heavy rain and the Rocky Mountains are getting buried with snow. That’s good news for the Colorado River, but climate scientists say the 40 million people who use the river’s water should take the good news with a grain of salt.
Gun dealers fighting Mexico’s claim they’re responsible for violence
Attorneys for five Arizona gun dealers are asking a federal judge to toss out a claim by the Mexican government that they are responsible for violence in that country. In a new court filing, the team of lawyers says nothing in the complaint alleges any evidence that the weapons sold by the five companies -- three in Tucson, one in Yuma and one in Phoenix -- actually were used by Mexican cartels in[...]
Hia-Ced O’odham seek federal recognition as tribe
In Arizona, 22 federally recognized tribes inhabit nearly every region of the state, according to the Arizona State Museum, but the Hia-Ced isn’t one of them. But some descendants of those four surviving families are working to change that. They’re researching the history of the Hia-Ced to prove their existence and distinctions and working to advocate for recognition with the federal governme[...]
Illegal border crossings surge to highest of Biden’s term
A surge in Cuban and Nicaraguan arrivals at the U.S. border with Mexico in December led to the highest number of illegal border crossings recorded during any month of Joe Biden's presidency, authorities said Friday.
US launches online system to seek asylum on Mexican border
The Biden administration on Thursday launched an online appointment system as the only way for migrants to get exceptions from pandemic-era limits on asylum — the U.S. government's latest major step in eight days to overhaul border enforcement.
Hobbs, Washington Democrats signal new approach to border, but bussing continues
Major changes are afoot at the Arizona-Mexico border. Trucks haul away shipping containers set up by former Gov. Doug Ducey, Gov. Katie Hobbs outlines a new approach to border security and immigration, and President Joe Biden’s administration takes a more aggressive stance toward immigration enforcement.
Leaders of US, Canada, Mexico show unity despite friction
President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to downplay their frustrations with one another on migration and trade as they met for the near-annual North American Leaders Summit.