Richard Ruelas, a reporter for The Arizona Republic, joined Arizona Horizon to discuss the recent immigration arrests in Arizona following weeks of raids and deportation efforts. While officials, including former "border czar" Tom Homan, stated that the focus was on public safety threats, court records suggest that many of those arrested were individuals accused solely of entering the U.S. illegally.

Ruelas shared insights from Phoenix federal court, where he observed cases involving long-standing tips and surveillance rather than large-scale raids. He noted that many arrests stemmed from individual stops, house visits, and anonymous tip line reports. While some cases involved prior deportations or attempts to purchase firearms without residency, the overall arrests have not necessarily followed the high-profile enforcement approach initially expected.