In The News

Democrats argued the committee selectively invoked parental rights while stripping them away when it came to LGBTQ+ families and communities. Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson), in a pointed exchange, said the committee had spent hours debating parental choice only to abandon it when convenient.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Alma Hernandez, a Tucson Democrat, would create a new program to pay up to two months of rent or $5,000, whichever is less expensive, for households with at least one child under 18 that are experiencing a “an unexpected and temporary financial emergency.”

Democratic lawmaker Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson) is behind the idea.

"I think it's really clear that Arizonans right now are struggling to make ends meet," State Rep. Hernandez said. "Cost of living is really high, and this is not a partisan issue. This is an issue that's impacting members of our community regardless of party.”

Rep. Alma Hernandez wants to spend $5 million to help renters undergoing financial hardship avoid being kicked out of their homes. The Tucson Democrat proposed a similar plan last year but it failed to earn any support from Republicans, who control the state legislature and decide which bills move forward. 

“I think it's very clear that in our communities, people are looking for answers and not just talking points,” said state Rep. Alma Hernandez, the bill sponsor. “At the end of the day, we know that what Arizonans are really struggling with is making ends meet.”

Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez voted against the bill alongside Contreras and three others. 

“I don’t think anyone here will say that we are for waste and fraud, but I think we should look at: What are we doing to actually help those that need it right now the most and whose families are going hungry?” Hernandez said.

Arizona’s housing challenges didn’t appear overnight, and they won’t be solved with a single bill. But we can take meaningful steps right now to prevent avoidable evictions and keep families stable while they get back on their feet. We all benefit when our neighbors are housed, our communities are stable, and our state uses taxpayer dollars wisely. 

“People are really struggling right now to make ends meet. Cost of living is very high. We have people who are struggling even though they are working, still struggling to pay rent, as this program is really important as a way to help those in the community who need it most,” Hernandez said.

As a member of the minority, I am here to remind the public that we, too, can and will be effective leaders bringing the issues voters care about most to the forefront. My message is clear: stable housing is foundational to strong families, healthy communities, and a resilient economy.

Rep. Alma Hernandez released a press statement calling for greater accountability and humanity from ICE agents operating in Tucson, saying the actions have spread fear throughout the community.

Hernandez visited with a fourth family member, a 29-year-old woman named Tatiana Farias, who was present during the arrest but not detained. She found out her three family members are being held at Eloy Detention Center after her sister-in-law called her Sunday.

Tucson Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez, who lives nearby, has been actively involved in supporting the family and seeking answers. "For me it's been incredibly disheartening to know this is happening in Tucson," Hernandez said.

Hernandez questioned the bill’s focus on citizenship status, saying it would only inspire fear among the state’s immigrant residents and convince them to stay home when they need help.

Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson, said that everything she learned in law school about the U.S. Constitution doesn’t seem to apply anymore. Hernandez said she was studying constitutional rights last night to prepare for her Bar Exam and had to shut her book out of frustration. 

State Rep. Alma Hernandez sharply criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for stopping a car and arresting three members of a Venezuelan family near an elementary school just south of Downtown Tucson on Friday morning. 

I went door to door in Barrio Santa Rosa to hear from community voices about an increased ICE presence in the area, and I found residents shared one common feeling: fear. None wanted to show their faces on camera, and some didn't even want to step outside their homes.

Hernandez said South Tucson is no stranger to immigration enforcement, but she said the agency’s recent actions in Arizona and across the country are what’s alarming.