Arizona Lawmakers Seek to Fire Teachers Who Protest ICE

Proposed legislation would terminate teachers who participate in organized sickouts over political issues.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Arizona state lawmakers are moving to require teachers to be fired and forfeit any rights to reemployment at public schools if they participate in any future organized sickout protests, such as the one by Tucson teachers last month who called in sick to protest the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The Republican-controlled Arizona House gave preliminary approval to the legislation, which aims to prohibit teachers from "striking or engaging in an organized work stoppage" against a school district or charter school.

Why it matters

The proposed legislation is a response to a nationwide protest by Tucson teachers against ICE that resulted in the closure of over 20 schools for a day, disrupting thousands of students and their families. Lawmakers argue that public schools should not be used as a platform for political protests, while opponents say the bill would unfairly punish teachers for exercising their rights to advocate for their communities.

The details

House Bill 2313 would amend the state Education Code to explicitly prohibit teachers from striking or engaging in organized work stoppages. The bill was prompted by the decision of some Tucson teachers to participate in nationwide protests against the deployment of ICE agents, which led to the closure of over 20 schools for a day. Supporters of the bill argue this was an inappropriate use of public schools for a political protest, while opponents say the legislation would have "extreme, career-ending consequences" on educators and further exacerbate teacher shortages.

  • Last month, Tucson teachers participated in nationwide protests against the deployment of ICE agents.
  • On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Arizona House gave preliminary approval to House Bill 2313.

The players

Matt Gress

A Republican state representative who introduced House Bill 2313, arguing that the legislation is needed to prohibit teachers from using sickouts to make political protests that disrupt schools.

Nancy Gutierrez

A Democratic state representative and former teacher who opposes the bill, arguing that it would unfairly punish educators and further exacerbate teacher shortages in the state.

Tucson Unified School District

The school district that was impacted by the teacher sickout protest against ICE deployment.

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What they’re saying

“Whatever one's views are on federal immigration policy, our public schools should not be shut down to make a political point.”

— Matt Gress, State Representative (tucson.com)

“This proposes extreme, career-ending consequences on educators. It tells educators that one misstep may erase an entire career and all of the rights they have earned through the years of service.”

— Nancy Gutierrez, State Representative and Former Teacher (tucson.com)

What’s next

The proposed legislation still requires a final roll-call vote in the Republican-controlled Arizona Senate before potentially being signed into law.

The takeaway

This debate highlights the tension between protecting the educational environment from political disruptions and preserving teachers' rights to advocate for their communities. The outcome could set a precedent for how states balance these competing interests in the future.