An overwhelming number of Arizona voters backed a GOP ballot measure, which authorizes local law enforcement and state judges to respectively arrest and deport illegal immigrants who cross the southern border outside official ports of entry.

With 59 percent of the votes counted, the Associated Press estimated nearly 63 percent of Arizonans voted in favor of Proposition 314 to make illegal immigration a state crime. The proposition also makes it illegal for people to provide false information when applying for benefits or employment, and for those who refuse to comply with authorities when ordered to leave the U.S.

Moreover, it strengthens penalties for criminals who sell fentanyl which causes the death of the consumer.

In June, Republican lawmakers in the Arizona legislature passed a resolution that sent the proposition to the ballot for Election Day. Proponents of the law said it was necessary for the state government to curb record levels of illegal immigration and the smuggling of fentanyl because the Biden administration has failed to do so.

Meanwhile, opponents claimed the law would only lead to racial profiling of Latinos and harm the state’s economy and reputation. Democratic governor Katie Hobbs vetoed similar legislation in March, saying the defunct bill would have vilified immigrant communities and burdened police in its goal to secure the border.

While the Arizona measure was approved, its border-crossing provisions may not go into effect for some time. The text requires Texas’s S.B. 4 or a similar law in another state to be in effect for at least 60 consecutive days. S.B. 4, which also makes illegal immigration a state crime, is currently being challenged in court.

A federal appeals court froze the Texas law in March, arguing the federal government is solely responsible for enforcing immigration laws and policies. The court cited a 2012 Supreme Court decision, in which an Arizona bill tackling illegal immigration was preempted by federal law.

The passage of Proposition 314 comes amid a highly contested election cycle, which concluded with former president Donald Trump retaking the White House and Republican candidates clinching the Senate majority. The House remains a toss-up, as of Wednesday morning.

Now the president-elect, Trump is expected to fulfill his campaign promise of cracking down on illegal immigration once he enters his second term in January. He has pledged to end the Biden administration’s open-border policies and is expected to deport millions of illegal immigrants residing in the U.S.

During his election-night victory speech, Trump said he would “fix our borders” and “fix everything about our country.” He also promised to “help our country heal.”