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Proposition 317

Designate Drug Cartels as Terrorist Organizations and Require State DHS to Address Threats Measure

On the ballot

Arizona · November 2026 general election · Legislative referral · Election day November 3, 2026
Topics: Public safety, Criminal justice, Immigration

In plain language

Proposition 317 would enact a state statute declaring drug cartels — defined as any association of persons whose members engage in human trafficking, drug trafficking for profit, or an act of terrorism — to be terrorist organizations under Arizona law, and would direct the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do everything within its authority to address the threat cartels pose. House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R) has pursued similar language for several years; a version passed the Legislature in 2023 as House Bill 2675 but was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs (D). The Legislature referred this version directly to the November 2026 ballot as House Concurrent Resolution 2055.

Fiscal impact

No official fiscal note has been issued for this measure yet.

When the state publishes a fiscal analysis, it will appear here and be listed in the sources below.

What supporters and opponents say

These are summaries of arguments made by the named organizations, drawn from the sources listed below. They are their claims, not this site's, and this site takes no position on the measure.

What supporters say

  • House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R), the measure's longtime sponsor, has pursued the terrorist designation for drug cartels for several years, framing it as part of a broader effort to address cartel activity at the border.

Attributed to the sources cited below.

What opponents say

  • Darrell Hill of the ACLU of Arizona argued the measure's language is loaded and could be used to justify deploying law enforcement or other resources at the border beyond what is necessary, and warned it could sweep up innocent people under a terrorist designation.
  • Critics say the designation would, at best, accomplish nothing legally and, at worst, could be invoked by a future governor to justify sending military forces to the border.

Attributed to ACLU of Arizona.

Official ballot language

The certified ballot text is not yet available for this measure. Once the state certifies it, the verbatim wording will appear here.

Sources

Everything on this page traces to these sources. Follow them to read the original documents.

Last updated . How this page is sourced and corrected is described in the correction policy.