Arizona in 2025: Deportations, legislative fights, water wars and more
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Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes will be in the spotlight this year. Photos: Rebecca Noble and Mario Tama via Getty Images
One historic year looks to be paving the way for another.
Zoom in: Here are the biggest storylines we're watching for 2025.
Deportation impact: All eyes are on President-elect Trump, who has promised a large-scale deportation of undocumented immigrants. Details of the plan are still hazy, but he's signaled he will take action immediately after his inauguration.
- Deportations would impact Arizonans who have undocumented family members and could hobble local industries that rely on undocumented labor, namely the homebuilding industry.
Hobbs vs. Leg: Despite major campaign spending, Gov. Katie Hobbs was unable to secure a Democratic legislative majority — in fact, Democrats lost seats in the House and Senate.
- We'll be watching how Hobbs handles budget negotiations with an emboldened Republican Legislature and whether GOP leaders will try to work with the governor or find new ways to circumvent her.
Mayes vs. Trump: Attorney General Kris Mayes has poised herself as Trump's main Arizona adversary.
- "I do not believe, in electing Donald Trump, Arizona voters voted to shred the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions. And if Donald Trump tries to do that, he'll have to go through me first," she told reporters in November.
Water wars: The Colorado River remains in a decades-long drought and the Western states that rely on it will continue negotiating over their future water rights.
- Meanwhile, Arizona is pursuing projects to augment its water supply from other sources.
Phoenix PD reforms: Phoenix, prompted by a scathing DOJ report that found the city's police department routinely violated residents' constitutional rights, adopted a host of reforms last year that will be enacted this year.
Chips industry: Economic developers expect Arizona's semiconductor industry to keep booming in 2025, especially as the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company facility in north Phoenix is scheduled to begin chip production early this year.
- Yes, but: Trump and some GOP lawmakers have insinuated that they may try to claw back CHIPS and Science Act funding that some manufacturers are relying on for new Arizona facilities.
Air quality watch: Maricopa County is expected to reach "serious" nonattainment of federal ozone pollution standards early this year. This will likely cause major economic headaches for the region, as new midsize manufacturing companies will face additional costs and regulatory burdens to locate in the Valley.
- Potential curveball: Trump's EPA may not enforce pollution protocols.
Homeless numbers: The number of people experiencing homelessness in the region dropped for the first time since 2017 during last year's annual point-in-time count, likely attributable to additional shelter beds in Phoenix.
- We'll be watching whether the trend continues.