In 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 grievance filed by the U.S. District Lawyer of Arizona, Castro was first noticed on April 9 rushing away from a identified 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 the US.
In line with the information outlet, Castro was carrying his state-issued uniform through the incident, regardless of being off-duty.
Extra from KOLD.com:
On April 9, Border Patrol brokers in Nogales noticed a black Chevrolet Impala shortly leaving a identified smuggling route and getting onto Interstate 19, driving a sure solution 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 shedding sight of it. Brokers noticed just one particular person inside.
The next day, the brokers noticed the identical sedan returning the best way it got here, however now with two passengers within the backseat. Brokers adopted the automotive onto the interstate, pulled it over and requested the motive force, recognized as Castro, about his passengers.
In line with court docket paperwork, Castro stated the 2 males had requested for a experience 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 purple home and search for a black automotive that might choose him up.
The opposite man advised brokers he was going to pay $12,000 to be smuggled into the U.S. and supplied an identical account of how he crossed into the nation and the instructions he adopted.
Castro was instantly fired. However the injury to Katie Hobbs’ credibility is already finished — and the political fallout is intensifying.
Hobbs’ workplace scrambled to problem a sanitized assertion condemning the incident and promising “necessary coaching” — a laughable and inadequate response contemplating Arizona’s border is underneath siege, and members of her personal administration are actually tied on to legal 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 passed off exterior of labor hours within the worker’s private automobile and away from work, AZDA has taken proactive steps to discourage this unacceptable conduct.
Insurance policies and procedures are being reviewed, and can embrace necessary coaching for supervisors and workers to incorporate data from CBP on indicators to observe for and report issues.”
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 every bit 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 durations 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 critical doubts about him already, this profound lack of administration actually received’t strengthen his case earlier than the complete senate.”
BREAKING ARIZONA SCANDAL
One among @KatieHobbs state workers 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 every bit of significant border safety laws when… pic.twitter.com/UuK7kYR9F9— Jake Hoffman (@JakeHoffmanAZ) April 26, 2025
