Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, said in an interview that Tucson requires more police officers and criticized groups opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I was shocked and saddened by the deterioration of downtown Tucson when I shot a documentary there last year,” said Cortes. “To save that great city, they need MORE police officers, not fewer! Radical groups calling for the ‘abolition of ICE’ reveal just who they truly are: globalist Marxists who don’t care about America.”
The downtown area of Tucson has faced increased crime and public safety issues in recent years, including violent assaults and property crimes. According to Show Crime, from July 2–4, 2025, there were 43 violent crime service calls in the city, including numerous assaults, robberies, and one sexual assault incident. A crime map overview from TravelSafe Abroad indicates that Tucson’s robbery rate is approximately 2.5 times the national average, with a stranger mugging risk of around 34% based on 2021 data. These figures suggest persistent safety challenges facing downtown Tucson.
Local law enforcement staffing has struggled to meet rising demand in Tucson. As reported by CitizenPortal, the Tucson City Council debated increasing the budget to hire an additional 35 officers. However, Police Chief Chad noted that due to attrition (losing 4–6 officers a month), the department would need 110–120 more officers just to stabilize staffing levels; currently around 800 positions are filled with approximately 60 officers in training. In addition, KGUN 9’s investigative report highlighted that staffing had fallen to historically low levels, causing slower response times and understaffing challenges. These shortages have contributed to growing public concern over the effectiveness of police coverage.
CrimeGrade.org’s analysis positions Tucson as having crime levels that are average or worse compared to similar cities, assigning the city an overall C grade for crime. While some neighborhoods perform better, multiple Tucson districts fall in the D to F range for violent crime, indicating higher-than-average risk when compared to the Arizona state average, which is generally safer. The site provides detailed maps and statistical comparisons, illustrating that concerns about crime in Tucson are supported by regionally benchmarked data and trend analysis.
Cortes is widely recognized as a prominent media communicator advocating for patriotic populism, focusing on national sovereignty, decentralization of power, and populist economics. With a career spanning television commentary since 2007, he has appeared on CNBC, Fox News, and CNN and served as Spokesman and Senior Advisor for Strategy on both the Trump 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He led Hispanic voter outreach efforts during these campaigns. A Georgetown University graduate and former football player, Cortes resides in Tennessee with his wife and four children.