The Mesa Police Department has addressed community concerns regarding the presence of federal agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. military personnel, within the city. The department emphasized its commitment to working with residents to ensure public safety, protect individual rights, and build trust through professionalism and transparency.
Mesa police clarified that their officers do not enforce federal immigration laws. Their primary responsibility is to uphold Arizona state and local laws while ensuring public safety. “Mesa PD officers do not enforce federal immigration laws. Our responsibility is to uphold Arizona state and local laws and protect public safety. While Mesa PD has a jail-enforcement model agreement with ICE, any contact with ICE occurs only after an individual has been arrested for a violation of Arizona state law,” the department stated.
The statement also explained that Mesa police cannot interfere with federal law enforcement operations due to legal restrictions but do collaborate with federal partners on serious criminal investigations, including violent crime, trafficking, and exploitation cases. “We do collaborate with federal partners on serious criminal investigations – to include violent crime, trafficking and the exploitation of children and vulnerable people. These partnerships are focused on public safety, conducted within clearly defined roles, and carried out with respect for constitutional rights,” according to the department.
Mesa Police reiterated support for individuals’ rights to peaceful expression but made clear that unlawful behavior will not be tolerated: “The Mesa Police Department supports the right of individuals to peacefully and lawfully express their views. At the same time, we will not tolerate criminal behavior, violence, or actions that place people or property at risk. Our focus remains on safeguarding our community, protecting constitutional rights, and maintaining public trust through lawful, professional policing.”
A similar message was provided in Spanish for broader community outreach.
For more information about how Mesa Police interacts with ICE under its jail-enforcement model agreement after arrests for violations of Arizona state law, details can be found at the Mesa Police Transparency – Immigration Facts page.
