Arizona State Sen. Analise Ortiz is standing her ground amid mounting political pressure, death threats, and calls for her removal after she shared publicly visible U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) locations on social media.
Ortiz, a Democrat representing Maryvale and parts of Glendale, posted Instagram updates alerting her constituents about potential ICE activity.
The posts gained national attention after the right-wing account “Libs of TikTok” amplified them to millions of viewers, sparking outrage among conservative lawmakers and federal officials.
“I am not intimidated by this,” Ortiz said in an interview. “What I did was simply alert my community to stay away from an area where ICE could be, to keep themselves safe. That is First Amendment-protected speech.”
Legal Experts Back Ortiz’s Claim
Free speech specialists say Ortiz’s actions are legal. Alex Morey of the Freedom Forum explains that sharing publicly available information is constitutionally protected, even if it makes law enforcement’s job more challenging. The ACLU of Arizona echoed that sentiment, calling Ortiz’s posts “a normal expression of First Amendment rights.”
Despite the legal backing, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused Ortiz of “siding with criminals over American citizens” and claimed her alerts “endanger law enforcement and weaken national security.”
Political Fallout and Safety Concerns
Republican Senate President Warren Petersen has asked the U.S. Attorney for Arizona to investigate potential federal law violations. State Sen. Jake Hoffman announced plans to file an ethics complaint, accusing Ortiz of “doxxing ICE agents & putting lives at risk.”
However, Gov. Katie Hobbs noted that while Ortiz’s actions raise safety concerns for officers, they do not meet the legal definition of doxxing, which involves publishing private, personal identifying information.
Ortiz said the backlash has escalated beyond political debate, pointing to the death threats she has received since the controversy erupted. “This is serious stuff,” she said, adding that she has been threatened with arrest and that people have claimed to know her address.
Community Protection or Obstruction?
Ortiz maintains her posts serve the same purpose as traffic apps warning drivers about speed traps, giving people the option to avoid potential harm. She pointed to reports of U.S. citizens and legal residents being mistakenly detained during ICE operations.
“It is our duty as elected officials to alert our community when masked agents are lurking outside of places that should be safe,” Ortiz said. “In this instance, they were outside of a school. They are targeting school children and their parents.”
The debate now sits at the intersection of free speech, public safety, and immigration enforcement, with Ortiz showing no sign of backing down.
