New Mexico Stands by Immigrant Protections Despite GOP Pushback

State officials and community leaders gathered at the National Hispanic Cultural Center to defend newly enacted laws aimed at protecting immigrant communities, KOAT reports, while Republican lawmakers voiced strong opposition. The Mexican Consulate hosted the “Coffee with Community” forum.

Discussion centered on the Immigrant Safety Act, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Feb. 5. It prohibits local governments from contracting with federal agencies to detain people for civil immigration purposes and bars law enforcement agencies from agreements that would let local officers help with immigration enforcement. Officials also pointed to the Driver Privacy and Safety Act, which restricts the use of state-owned license plate reader data in immigration operations, and to a new Office of New Americans, which House Speaker Javier Martinez described as a one-stop shop where immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers can find information on adult education programs and business loans.

Senate Republicans said in a statement that they oppose “legislation that undermines the enforcement of federal law.” House Speaker Javier Martinez dismissed the criticism, saying the laws reflect the state’s long-standing values. “New Mexico welcomes the stranger. New Mexico welcomes the immigrant,” he said.

Albuquerque Police Chief Cecily Barker said officers never ask about immigration status or notify federal law enforcement about a contact. Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said deputies don’t ask about immigration status on traffic stops or calls for service, and that his office had declined a request from federal immigration authorities to hold a briefing at a county substation.

Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit KOAT’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.