New Mexico lawmakers, immigration advocates prepare for possible mass deportations

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico is already one of the most immigrant-friendly states in the country, and Democratic elected leaders say they plan to keep it that way even if President-elect Donald Trump undertakes a mass expulsion operation.

“New Mexico, at every level of government, will fight it every step of the way,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury.

“We are not going to cooperate in any way in this effort,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said.

“We’ll see what actually happens, but we’ll be ready and we’ll do what’s right for our city,” Mayor Tim Keller said.

According to the American Immigration Council, more than 192,000 immigrants live in New Mexico, or about 9 percent of the state’s population. According to their data, this includes approximately 53,000 undocumented immigrants.

“Many undocumented people are engaged in a lengthy legal process to become legal permanent residents,” said Marcela Diáz, executive director of Somos Un Pueblo Unido.

Diaz says many undocumented people contribute to New Mexico’s economy.

“43% of oil and gas workers are Latino, many and most of whom are of mixed status, immigrant workers or families. So it’s really critical that we don’t help the federal administration deport immigrant workers who are absolutely essential to our state’s economy,” Diaz said.

That’s one reason his group is encouraging leaders to approve new protections for undocumented immigrants when state lawmakers return to the Roundhouse in January. For example, preventing the use of state police in immigration enforcement operations, limiting the sharing of sensitive information, including driver’s license data, and increasing resources for immigration-related legal services. ‘immigration.

“We will also likely see an increase in the number of legal permanent residents seeking to become U.S. citizens. What we know, especially in rural communities, is that they don’t have access to immigration lawyers. If they do, they’re often too expensive, and that’s what we want to see grow,” Diaz said.

It’s still too early to know exactly what kind of pro-immigrant proposals might appear at the Roundhouse in January.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Javier Martínez said he was interested in supporting the group’s efforts.

The 60-day legislative session is scheduled to begin Jan. 21.