Republicans in the Arizona Legislature voted to block a border security funding package from being sent to Santa Cruz County. The state’s law enforcement leaders have criticized the border measure passed this year by Arizona voters that makes illegal border crossings a national crime.

Santa Cruz County is a vibrant cross-border community and trade center. State Sen. John Kavanaugh said County Sheriff David Hathaway will be excluded from the $250,000 border security package because he won’t enforce Proposition 314.

As Hathaway says, some of the laws aren’t being enforced anyway.

“But Sen. Kavanaugh said in the state Legislature that we can’t put money down to Santa Cruz County because Hathaway won’t force this. Well, no one else is going to force it. It’s not effective. ” he said.

A provision of Proposition 314 that would give local law enforcement authority to make immigration-related arrests is on hold while a similar law is being litigated in Texas. Arizona’s SB1070, which granted the same arrest powers, was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court.

Hathaway said his county doesn’t have the resources or training for those types of arrests. He said his office would use the new funds for regular operations such as communications and vehicles. He claims Kavanaugh went against the advice of state groups such as DPS that Santa Cruz County should receive the money.

“And just unilaterally say, ‘This is my option as chairman, Santa Cruz County is not going to receive this funding unless Hathaway retracts what she previously said against 314.’ That’s clearly not the case,” Hathaway said.