NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — More than 62 percent of Arizona voters said they want local law enforcement to be more involved in finding and apprehending people who enter the United States illegally. Border officials say the situation could overwhelm their departments.

Arizona voters called for major changes in border law enforcement by passing bill Proposition 314. They made illegal immigration a state crime as well as a federal crime. This creates several challenges for local law enforcement.

Immigration law is a federal law and is enforced by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But Arizona lawmakers said federal law enforcement was overwhelmed, so they introduced a ballot proposal called Proposition 314, which voters approved by a wide margin.

But Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway said there are only 40 deputies and they are overwhelmed with violent and property crimes.

The sheriff said it’s not practical to constantly check whether someone is in the U.S. legally.

“My community is 95% Hispanic, which means 95% of the people here speak Spanish. They have Hispanic last names like Martinez, Rodriguez, Hernandez. So what am I going to do? I’m going to go and say, “Hey, show me the documentation of just about everyone who lives in this community.” ”

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said the vote to approve Proposition 314 shows it’s the will of the people, but doesn’t tell them how to avoid overwhelming law enforcement in Cochise County. , he said.

He said Arizona’s sheriffs are asking Congress and the state government to decide who will pay for Prop 314.

“We just had a meeting with the governor’s team on Monday, and I re-posed this question: What happens if this passes? So this is on the governor’s desk, so we now I’m waiting to hear what happens.”

Sheriff Hathaway said the language in Proposition 314 would not go into effect until a court decides whether the Texas law it is based on is constitutional, and it is not clear when that case will occur. said.