Election 2026 · Public beta

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Issue record

The border and public safety

In short

Amish Shah's campaign would reduce gun violence, fully fund police and stop fentanyl crossing the border. Jay Feely's campaign would finish the wall, back mass deportations of violent offenders and support police, Border Patrol and ICE. Monica Alponte's campaign would keep the border secure and end incentives for illegal immigration. Shah voted for a 2022 state law tying probation for fentanyl sellers to a nine-gram line, and against three 2023 fentanyl bills the governor vetoed.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Amish Shah

Would reduce gun violence, fully fund police and stop the flow of fentanyl across the border.

Thomas "Jay" Feely IV

Would finish the wall, support mass deportations of violent offenders, and back police, Border Patrol and ICE.

Monica Alponte

Would keep the border secure and end incentives for illegal immigration.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

    In 2022 he was the only Democrat to vote for a law setting a nine-gram fentanyl threshold, and in 2023 he voted against three fentanyl bills the governor later vetoed.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    His campaign says that in the State House he worked across the aisle on public safety, including curbing the flow of illegal and dangerous drugs like fentanyl. On June 23, 2022 he was the only Democrat to vote for the final version of HB 2253, which passed the House 32-22 and became law. It set a nine-gram threshold for fentanyl in Arizona's drug law. The same day he voted for the budget bill, HB 2862, which passed 49-9 and appropriated $209,205,000 from the state's border security fund. He voted against HB 2317, which sent $335 million of state tax revenue into that fund for a border fence and border technology; it passed 31-27 and became law. In 2023 he voted against three fentanyl bills that the governor later vetoed: SB 1027, HB 2469 and HB 2802. Limit: Possessing fentanyl for sale was already a felony in any amount; the nine-gram line decides when a seller cannot get probation. The campaign's 2026 page names no bill.

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Sources13 source records

How we use sources

  1. Amish for Arizona, issueshttps://www.amishforarizona.com/issues

    Amish for Arizona · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Captured 2026-10-01; about 1,200 words under eight headings.

    candidate statement

    For: Amish Shah: campaign position; Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  2. Jay Feely for Congress, issueshttps://www.jayfeelyforcongress.com/issues

    Feely for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Captured 2026-10-01; about 900 words under eight headings.

    candidate statement

    For: Thomas "Jay" Feely IV: campaign position

  3. Monica Alponte for Congress, homehttps://monicaalponteaz.com/

    Monica Alponte for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Captured 2026-10-01, identified by its "Paid for by Monica Alponte for Congress" line, the site the FEC lists for her committee. Her platform, biography and pledges are all on this one page. Links X, Instagram and YouTube accounts.

    candidate statement

    For: Monica Alponte: campaign position

  4. HB 2253 (2022): threshold amount; fentanylhttps://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/76716?SessionId=125

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Rewritten from an asbestos bill. Final House passage 32-22 on 2022-06-23; Shah was the only Democrat voting Yes. Signed 2022-07-06, Laws 2022 chapter 371.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  5. Laws 2022, chapter 371 (HB 2253)https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/laws/0371.htm

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Adds a threshold amount for fentanyl to A.R.S. 13-3401: nine grams of fentanyl or fentanyl mimetic substances.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  6. HB 2862 (2022): general appropriations act; 2022-2023https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/77992?SessionId=125

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The 2022-23 state budget. Passed the House 49-9 on 2022-06-23; Shah voted Yes. Laws 2022 chapter 313.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  7. Laws 2022, chapter 313 (HB 2862)https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/laws/0313.htm

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Section 110 appropriates $209,205,000 from the border security fund to the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs for 2022-23.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  8. HB 2317 (2022): revenue distribution; border securityhttps://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/76820?SessionId=125

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Introduced by Representative Kavanagh. Final House passage 31-27 on 2022-06-23; Shah voted No. Signed 2022-06-30, Laws 2022 chapter 334.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  9. Laws 2022, chapter 334 (HB 2317)https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/laws/0334.htm

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sends $335,000,000 of state tax revenue to the border security fund in 2022-23, to build and maintain a physical border fence and buy border security technology.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  10. SB 1027 (2023): carfentanil; fentanyl; minors; penaltieshttps://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/78079?SessionId=127

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Passed the House 35-24 on 2023-04-04; Shah voted No. Vetoed 2023-04-11.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  11. HB 2469 (2023): fentanyl; border; public health crisishttps://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/78576?SessionId=127

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Final House passage 31-27 on 2023-05-15; Shah voted No. Vetoed 2023-05-19.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  12. HB 2469 (2023), Senate fact sheet as vetoedhttps://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1R/summary/S.2469HHS_ASVETOED.DOCX.htm

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The Senate's summary as vetoed: declares fentanyl trafficking across the border a public health crisis, calls the federal failure to secure the border an unlawful invasion, and requires state law to be read to protect Arizona against that invasion.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction

  13. HB 2802 (2023): fentanyl sales; manufacture; sentencing; testinghttps://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/79664?SessionId=127

    Arizona State Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Final House passage 31-26 on 2023-06-13; Shah voted No. Vetoed 2023-06-20.

    official legislative record

    For: Amish Shah: Matches stated direction