AZ State Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix), left, and John R. Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector | Azleg.gov / US Border Patrol
AZ State Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix), left, and John R. Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector | Azleg.gov / US Border Patrol
Ariz. State Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix) said that the 43 reported human smuggling events at the Tucson Sector border during the past two weeks shows that “derelict government agencies aren’t keeping our kids safe.”
“I want to protect our biggest resource -- our children,” Bolick told PHX Reporter. “Our wide-open southern border and derelict government agencies aren't keeping our kids safe from perpetrators.
“According to the Arizona Attorney General's office, the average age of child who is sex trafficked is 14 years old,” said Bolick. “I have sponsored SCR 1021 to give all Arizona voters a chance to weigh in to put child sex traffickers who buy and/or sell children behind bars for natural life.”
There were 27 human smuggling events in the Tucson Sector of the Arizona-Mexico border last week, reported the Tucson Standard. That makes 43 total human smuggling events during the past two weeks, as reported by John R. Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector.
SCR 1021, sponsored by Bolick, proposes a referendum to amend the Arizona Constitution to allow voters to authorize a “natural life” prison sentence with no parole for individuals convicted of child sex trafficking. A companion bill, HCR 2042, was introduced in the Arizona House by State Rep. Selina Bliss (R-Prescott).
Bolick has represented Arizona’s 2nd State Senate District since August 2023, when she was appointed by the Maricopa County Board of Advisors to fill the seat vacated by retiring State Sen. Steve Kaiser (R-Phoenix).
She previously represented District 20 in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. Bolick also served on the Arizona State Board of Education’s Academic Standards Development Committee and was appointed to Arizona’s Early Childhood Education and Health Board by former Gov. Doug Ducey (R-Ariz.)
Bolick attended Syracuse University and received a master’s degree from American University.
A native of Pittsburgh, Penn., Bolick lives in Phoenix with her husband and their two children.
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