Senators have filed two competing bills in the Legislature around how cities and counties should use resources in aiding federal immigration enforcement.
aims to block any local resources from being used to enforce federal immigration laws. Those resources include state or city employees, public funding, and facilities, like jails.
Sen.Cindy Nava, (D-Bernalillo), is one sponsor of SB 250, which she called a 鈥渃larity鈥� bill.
鈥淲e are here to serve the people, and federal immigration law does not pertain to the state,鈥� Nava said.
This legislation would prevent local resources from being used to identify or detain a person based on suspicion that they have entered the United States illegally.
Nava, a former recipient under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA), said she has seen the fear the Trump Administration has created in immigrant communities.
鈥淲e [Democrats] have come together to have these discussions through a lens of cultural competence. And these are folks that are working across the state, and the fear that's been instilled nationally is not something that New Mexico will replicate,鈥� Nava said.
In contrast, would essentially make it illegal for the block in Nava鈥檚 bill to exist. It would outlaw any acts that prohibit the use of local resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law.
九色网 reached out to the Republican sponsors of SB 87 multiple times, but the lawmakers did not respond.
This proposal comes after the Republican Party of New Mexico established an 鈥溾�� that would allow New Mexicans to email suspicions of undocumented people in their community. These tips are then sent to federal officials for investigation.
States like and have policies similar to the language in SB 87. And the Trump Administration very recently over its, quote 鈥榮anctuary laws鈥�, which closely resemble the wording of SB 250 here in New Mexico. Albuquerque and Santa Fe have already declared they will not cooperate with mass deportations.
Both bills are recommended to the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee. Neither have a hearing date yet.
