Jazz musicians disrupt Arizona Republicans’ pro-ICE press event

On Monday morning in Phoenix, Arizona, Republican lawmakers attempted to hold a pro-ICE press conference outside the Arizona Capitol Building. However, anti-ICE protesters showed up in full force and managed to shut down the presser, forcing it to move into a legislative building through the powerful tactics of singing, chanting, and playing New Orleans-style jazz music on various brass instruments. Aaron Parnas shared this video of the attempted press conference, in which you can hear lively music in the background. I swear, for a minute I thought it was New Orleans!

12 News reports that the pro-ICE press conference was led by Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller and included other Republican officials, who gathered to discuss a new bill being introduced in the Arizona State Legislature that focuses on broadening Arizona’s obstruction law and punishing protesters who, as 12 News puts it, “obstruct law enforcement operations.” CALÓ News explains that this new bill will “protect immigration agents” as they expand their presence across Arizona and will “make it a felony to interfere with the work in progress of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.”

In addition to expressing support for the new bill, Pinal County Attorney Miller also expressed his enthusiastic support for ICE, stating, as 12 News reports, “we’re happy to have ICE in our communities,” and adding that he expects to see more ICE activities coming to Arizona in the future.

Last November, Arizona Republicans successfully had Proposition 314 approved by voters. According to CALÓ News, Prop 314 “makes unauthorized immigration a state crime and allows state and police officers to enforce federal immigration law,” although Katie Hobbs has pledged that Arizona won’t participate in ICE actions that harm communities or violate civil rights.

Unfortunately, despite Hobbs’ pledge, CALÓ News reports that ICE enforcement activity increased significantly in Arizona during fiscal year 2025, with more than 6,000 arrests recorded. In fiscal year 2024, there were an average of 149 monthly arrests; this number increased to 513 arrests per month in fiscal year 2025 (October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025). And according to several news sources, Phoenix is on ICE’s radar as the next city to target after Minneapolis; some news outlets are also reporting that ICE has plans to build more detention centers in Arizona. I’ve already begun to hear personal reports of new ICE sightings across the Phoenix metro area. Stay vigilant and safe, friends.