In yet one more beautiful failure of management from Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a now-former worker of the Arizona Division of Agriculture (AZDA) has been arrested on the southern border for alleged human smuggling of unlawful aliens — a scandal that now threatens to sink Hobbs’ controversial nominee to guide the company.
Joshua Castro, who served as a produce inspector for the AZDA, is going through each felony and misdemeanor federal expenses after Border Patrol brokers caught him allegedly transporting unlawful aliens throughout the U.S. border earlier this month, KOLD reported.
In line with a federal criticism filed by the U.S. District Lawyer of Arizona, Castro was first noticed on April 9 rushing away from a recognized smuggling route close to Nogales.
Border brokers later caught as much as him after witnessing the identical automobile ferrying two unlawful aliens — Mexican nationals who admitted to paying between $7,600 and $12,000 every to be smuggled into america.
In line with the information outlet, Castro was sporting his state-issued uniform throughout the incident, regardless of being off-duty.
Extra from KOLD.com:
On April 9, Border Patrol brokers in Nogales noticed a black Chevrolet Impala rapidly leaving a recognized smuggling route and getting onto Interstate 19, driving a sure option to see if legislation enforcement was round. The subsequent night, brokers noticed the identical sedan within the space of Hereford Drive and International Street earlier than dropping sight of it. Brokers noticed just one particular person inside.
The next day, the brokers noticed the identical sedan returning the way in which it got here, however now with two passengers within the backseat. Brokers adopted the automotive onto the interstate, pulled it over and requested the driving force, recognized as Castro, about his passengers.
In line with court docket paperwork, Castro stated the 2 males had requested for a trip and he didn’t know them. However the brokers quickly decided the 2 males have been Mexican residents who have been within the U.S. illegally.
One of many males advised brokers he paid 150,000 Mexican pesos (roughly $7,600 U.S. {dollars}) to be smuggled into the nation. He stated he illegally crossed the border and hid till he was advised to stroll to an space close to a crimson home and search for a black automotive that might decide him up.
The opposite man advised brokers he was going to pay $12,000 to be smuggled into the U.S. and offered the same account of how he crossed into the nation and the instructions he adopted.
Castro was instantly fired. However the harm to Katie Hobbs’ credibility is already finished — and the political fallout is intensifying.
Hobbs’ workplace scrambled to situation a sanitized assertion condemning the incident and promising “necessary coaching” — a laughable and inadequate response contemplating Arizona’s border is beneath siege, and members of her personal administration at the moment are tied on to felony exercise.
“The governor strongly condemns the actions of this former worker. The Division of Agriculture took swift motion, terminating the person from their place instantly. Though this occurred exterior of labor hours within the worker’s private automobile and away from work, AZDA has taken proactive steps to discourage this unacceptable habits.
Insurance policies and procedures are being reviewed, and can embrace necessary coaching for supervisors and staff to incorporate data from CBP on indicators to look at for and easy methods to report considerations.”
The scandal additionally threatens to derail Hobbs’ controversial nominee to move the Division of Agriculture, Paul Brierley, based on KOLD.
State Senator Jake Hoffman, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations, launched the next assertion on X:
“It’s no surprise Hobbs vetoes each piece of significant border safety laws when on her watch her personal state worker is being arrested and prosecuted for the human smuggling of unlawful aliens.
From cronyism to nepotism and pay-to-play to human smuggling, Katie Hobbs’ tenure as governor is proving to be one of many darkest intervals in state historical past.
There aren’t any phrases to adequately describe the obscene mismanagement occurring inside Governor Hobbs’ state authorities.
As for Brierly, Hobbs’ nominee to guide the Division of Agriculture, the Nominations Committee and Senate Republicans had severe doubts about him already, this profound lack of administration definitely received’t strengthen his case earlier than the complete senate.”
BREAKING ARIZONA SCANDAL
Certainly one of @KatieHobbs state staff on the AZ Dept. of Agriculture was arrested earlier this month for alleged HUMAN SMUGGLING of ILLEGAL ALIENS
MY STATEMENT:
“It’s no surprise Hobbs vetoes each piece of significant border safety laws when… pic.twitter.com/UuK7kYR9F9— Jake Hoffman (@JakeHoffmanAZ) April 26, 2025
