Ariz. Rev. Stat. » Title 11
Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051 (2026)

Cooperation and assistance in enforcement of immigration laws; indemnification

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section AZ-LEGazleg.gov (official) JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

11-1051. Cooperation and assistance in enforcement of immigration laws; indemnification

A. No official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state may limit or restrict the enforcement of federal immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.

B. For any lawful stop, detention or arrest made by a law enforcement official or a law enforcement agency of this state or a law enforcement official or a law enforcement agency of a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state in the enforcement of any other law or ordinance of a county, city or town or this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien and is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person, except if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation.  Any person who is arrested shall have the person's immigration status determined before the person is released.  The person's immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 United States Code section 1373(c).  A law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state may not consider race, color or national origin in implementing the requirements of this subsection except to the extent permitted by the United States or Arizona Constitution.  A person is presumed to not be an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States if the person provides to the law enforcement officer or agency any of the following:

1. A valid Arizona driver license.

2. A valid Arizona nonoperating identification license.

3. A valid tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification.

4. If the entity requires proof of legal presence in the United States before issuance, any valid United States federal, state or local government issued identification.

C. If an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States is convicted of a violation of state or local law, on discharge from imprisonment or on the assessment of any monetary obligation that is imposed, the United States immigration and customs enforcement or the United States customs and border protection shall be immediately notified.

D. Notwithstanding any other law, a law enforcement agency may securely transport an alien who the agency has received verification is unlawfully present in the United States and who is in the agency's custody to a federal facility in this state or to any other point of transfer into federal custody that is outside the jurisdiction of the law enforcement agency.  A law enforcement agency shall obtain judicial authorization before securely transporting an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States to a point of transfer that is outside of this state.

E. In the implementation of this section, an alien's immigration status may be determined by:

1. A law enforcement officer who is authorized by the federal government to verify or ascertain an alien's immigration status.

2. The United States immigration and customs enforcement or the United States customs and border protection pursuant to 8 United States Code section 1373(c).

F. Except as provided in federal law, officials or agencies of this state and counties, cities, towns and other political subdivisions of this state may not be prohibited or in any way be restricted from sending, receiving or maintaining information relating to the immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual or exchanging that information with any other federal, state or local governmental entity for the following official purposes:

1. Determining eligibility for any public benefit, service or license provided by any federal, state, local or other political subdivision of this state.

2. Verifying any claim of residence or domicile if determination of residence or domicile is required under the laws of this state or a judicial order issued pursuant to a civil or criminal proceeding in this state.

3. If the person is an alien, determining whether the person is in compliance with the federal registration laws prescribed by title II, chapter 7 of the federal immigration and nationality act.

4. Pursuant to 8 United States Code section 1373 and 8 United States Code section 1644.

G. This section does not implement, authorize or establish and shall not be construed to implement, authorize or establish the REAL ID act of 2005 (P.L. 109-13, division B; 119 Stat. 302), including the use of a radio frequency identification chip.

H. A person who is a legal resident of this state may bring an action in superior court to challenge any official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state that adopts or implements a policy that limits or restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws, including 8 United States Code sections 1373 and 1644, to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.  If there is a judicial finding that an entity has violated this section, the court shall order that the entity pay a civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars and not more than five thousand dollars for each day that the policy has remained in effect after the filing of an action pursuant to this subsection.

I. A court shall collect the civil penalty prescribed in subsection H of this section and remit the civil penalty to the state treasurer for deposit in the gang and immigration intelligence team enforcement mission fund established by section 41-1724.

J. The court may award court costs and reasonable attorney fees to any person or any official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state that prevails by an adjudication on the merits in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.

K. Except in relation to matters in which the officer is adjudged to have acted in bad faith, a law enforcement officer is indemnified by the law enforcement officer's agency against reasonable costs and expenses, including attorney fees, incurred by the officer in connection with any action, suit or proceeding brought pursuant to this section in which the officer may be a defendant by reason of the officer being or having been a member of the law enforcement agency.

L. This section shall be implemented in a manner consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 26 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2010–2026 · leading case: Arizona v. United States, 132 S. Ct. 2492 (2012).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Arizona v. United States, 132 S. Ct. 2492 (2012). · cites it 8× “” Note following Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11-1051 (West 2012).”
United States v. Arizona, 703 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Ariz. 2010). · cites it 21× “1070 adds A.R.S. § 11-1051. Section 2 contains twelve separate subsections.”
United States v. Arizona, 641 F.3d 339 (9th Cir. 2011). · cites it 7× “" Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11-1051 (B) (2010) (emphasis added).”
Tenorio-Serrano v. Driscoll, 324 F. Supp. 3d 1053 (D. Ariz. 2018). · cites it 4× “Defendants and the United States point to A.R.S. § 11-1051, commonly referred to as S.”
Georgia Latino All. for Human Rights v. Governor of Georgia, 691 F.3d 1250 (11th Cir. 2012). · cites it 2× “at 2507; see Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 11-1051(B). The Arizona statute contains three limitations: production of certain identification renders an individual presumptively lawfully present, Ariz.”
United States v. State of Alabama, 691 F.3d 1269 (11th Cir. 2012). · cites it 2× “at 2507 ; see Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 11-1051(B). The Arizona statute contains three limitations: production of certain identification renders an individual presumptively lawfully present, Ariz.”
State of Iowa v. Martha Aracely Martinez, 896 N.W.2d 737 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 3× “(quoting Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11-1051 (B)). Further, the law provided that the immigration status of any person arrested would be determined before release.”
City of El Cenizo v. Texas, 264 F. Supp. 3d 744 (W.D. Tex. 2017). · cites it 4× “053(b)(1) shares some similarities with Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051 (B), which was enacted as Section 2(B) of SB 1070.”
Ortega-Melendres v. Arpaio, 836 F. Supp. 2d 959 (D. Ariz. 2011). · cites it 3× “1 at 98, In. 8-9). Of course, state officers may summon federal officers to investigate the immigration status of those who have been convicted of state crimes.”
Melendres v. Arpaio, 989 F. Supp. 2d 822 (D. Ariz. 2013). · cites it 2× “Thus, the LEAR policy does not fall under the ambit of A.R.S. § 11-1051(B). Further, while 8 U.S.”
United States v. State of Texas, 97 F.4th 268 (5th Cir. 2024). “at 393 (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Note following Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11-1051 (West 2012)).”
Teltech Sys., Inc. v. Phil Bryan, 702 F.3d 232 (5th Cir. 2012). “An Arizona statute, the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, Ariz.Rev.Stat. Ann. §§ 11-1051, et seq., went further, making it a misdemeanor for unauthorized aliens to apply for, or solicit, work.”
Show all 26 citing cases →
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051(A) — 3 cases
United States v. Arizona, 703 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Ariz. 2010). “1070 adds A.R.S. § 11-1051. Section 2 contains twelve separate subsections.”
Tenorio-Serrano v. Driscoll, 324 F. Supp. 3d 1053 (D. Ariz. 2018). “Defendants and the United States point to A.R.S. § 11-1051, commonly referred to as S.”
Montelongo-Morales v. Driscoll, 354 F. Supp. 3d 1005 (D. Ariz. 2019).
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051(B) — 11 cases
United States v. Arizona, 641 F.3d 339 (9th Cir. 2011). “" Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11-1051 (B) (2010) (emphasis added).”
United States v. Arizona, 703 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Ariz. 2010). “1070 adds A.R.S. § 11-1051. Section 2 contains twelve separate subsections.”
Georgia Latino All. for Human Rights v. Governor of Georgia, 691 F.3d 1250 (11th Cir. 2012). “at 2507; see Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 11-1051(B). The Arizona statute contains three limitations: production of certain identification renders an individual presumptively lawfully present, Ariz.”
United States v. State of Alabama, 691 F.3d 1269 (11th Cir. 2012). “at 2507 ; see Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 11-1051(B). The Arizona statute contains three limitations: production of certain identification renders an individual presumptively lawfully present, Ariz.”
Melendres v. Arpaio, 989 F. Supp. 2d 822 (D. Ariz. 2013). “Thus, the LEAR policy does not fall under the ambit of A.R.S. § 11-1051(B). Further, while 8 U.S.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051(C) — 2 cases
United States v. Arizona, 703 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Ariz. 2010). “1070 adds A.R.S. § 11-1051. Section 2 contains twelve separate subsections.”
Ortega-Melendres v. Arpaio, 836 F. Supp. 2d 959 (D. Ariz. 2011). “1 at 98, In. 8-9). Of course, state officers may summon federal officers to investigate the immigration status of those who have been convicted of state crimes.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051(D) — 1 case
United States v. Arizona, 703 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Ariz. 2010). “1070 adds A.R.S. § 11-1051. Section 2 contains twelve separate subsections.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 11-1051(G) — 1 case
United States v. Arizona, 703 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Ariz. 2010). “1070 adds A.R.S. § 11-1051. Section 2 contains twelve separate subsections.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.