Governor Signs Immigrant Safety Act into Law

SANTA FE, NM – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Immigrant Safety Act, House Bill 9, into law today, cementing New Mexico's place as a national leader in protecting immigrant communities and refusing complicity in the Trump administration's mass detention and deportation system.

The historic legislation, sponsored by Representatives Eleanor Chávez, Angelica Rubio, Andrea Romero, Marianna Anaya, Senator Joseph Cervantes, and 19 other sponsors, prohibits state and local governments from entering into agreements to detain individuals for civil immigration violations, stops the use of public land for immigration detention, and bans 287(g) agreements that turn local law enforcement into immigration agents. With the Legislature’s passage of the bill and Governor Lujan Grisham’s signature, New Mexico has delivered on its commitment to stand with immigrant families and uphold New Mexico's values of dignity, justice, and community safety.

New Mexico now joins eight other states and numerous localities nationwide that have comprehensively rejected involvement in a deportation system marked by violence, abuse, and death. The legislation comes as ICE has become more dangerous and less accountable than ever – with 32 people dying in ICE custody in 2025 alone, the deadliest year in more than two decades, and at least eight more deaths through interactions with ICE already in 2026.

New Mexico's three detention centers have facilitated this system of harm, with documented cases of excessive use of solitary confinement, inadequate medical care, lack of clean drinking water and food, and five deaths in custody in recent years. The Immigrant Safety Act ensures New Mexico will no longer be complicit in these abuses.

The law also promotes real public safety by ensuring local law enforcement is not entangled in ICE operations through formal agreements – allowing crime victims, domestic violence survivors, and all community members to approach law enforcement without fear. States that have passed similar laws have deportation rates up to four times lower than states that collaborate with ICE.

Advocates across the state celebrated the passage of the bill and thanked the governor and legislative champions for their leadership:

“Today marks a defining moment for New Mexico and a powerful victory for immigrant families who have fought for years to end our state's complicity in mass detention and deportation,” said Carla Law with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico. “Governor Lujan Grisham has delivered on her promise to protect our communities and stand against the Trump administration's campaign of violence and fear. New Mexico will do everything in its power to be a place where all families can live with dignity and safety – where local police focus on keeping communities safe, not acting as deportation agents. We thank the governor for her leadership in making this historic achievement a reality.”

“Governor Lujan Grisham’s signature on HB 9 Plus, the Immigrant Safety Act, is a historic and deeply meaningful victory for New Mexico,” said Jared Berenice, political director at The Semilla Project. “For immigrant and mixed-status families, this law represents relief, dignity, and the simple freedom to live without fear. It means parents can take their children to a park, families can gather on public lands, and young people can enjoy the outdoors without worrying about surveillance, detention, or being torn apart. By signing HB 9 into law, New Mexico is choosing care over cruelty and community over fear, and affirming that true public safety is rooted in trust, belonging, and respect for both our people and the land we share. This victory honors the courage of our communities and makes our state stronger, safer, and more just for generations to come.”

“For years, immigrant families and advocates, including hundreds of men who have been detained in New Mexico's three detention centers, have demanded an end to our state's role in enabling detention and deportations,” said Tiffany Wang, fellow attorney with Innovation Law Lab. “Today, New Mexico shows that when communities organize and speak up, real change is possible – even against powerful opposition. We look forward to continuing the fight against the cruel deportation machine in collaboration with community members and legislators who have stood up to insist on dignity and safety for all.”

“We are grateful for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s leadership in making immigration protections a priority this Legislative Session. New Mexico is now out of the business of private immigration detention, prohibiting state and local resources to be used for Trump’s mass deportation agenda. New Mexico has been a leader in policies that puts immigrants and working-class communities at the forefront. From Licensing for All, In-state tuition & the Opportunity Scholarship, regardless of immigration status, this is a state where community-driven policy works!” said Andres Esquivel and Jovanny Sebastian Hernandez, campaigns managers, New Mexico Dream Team. “HB 9 was the first step in this fight to ensure security for all New Mexicans, and we must remember that ¡la lucha sigue! This is one victory in a longer fight to protect our people from this administration. We will keep pushing for stronger safeguards for all. We know the anti-immigrant and anti-working-class forces in New Mexico are already operating to halt progressive, forward-thinking policies and community organizing efforts. It has always been, and will continue to be, our role to organize young immigrants and queer people of color against an oppressive and reactionary agenda.”

“HB 9 Plus represents a critical step forward in protecting our communities by strengthening and expanding the prohibition of the 287(g) program, a system that has been used to criminalize immigrants and instill fear in our families across the nation,” said Fabiola Landeros, immigration organizer with El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos. “We thank the governor for signing this bill, our legislative champions, and our strong immigrant-led movement, for clearly speaking out in support of policies that prioritize safety, dignity, and human rights. The signing of HB 9 Plus in New Mexico reaffirms that we will not fuel the federal government’s deportation machine and that it has no place in a state that values justice and the well-being of all people.”

“By passing HB 9 PLUS, the Legislature and governor made it clear New Mexico will not allow our local law enforcement to be turned into an arm of a dangerous federal deportation machine. Prohibiting 287(g) agreements is a preemptive and life-saving step that protects families, strengthens public safety, and ensures our communities are not harmed by shifting federal immigration agendas – especially as we face renewed threats from a Trump administration that has promised even more deportations and expanded enforcement,” said Marcela Díaz, executive director of Somos Un Pueblo Unido. “This victory did not happen by accident. It is the result of years of organizing, leadership, and courage from immigrant families and allies across New Mexico who refused to accept fear as policy. Immigrant safety is public safety, and today our movement showed its power.”

“The passage of HB 9 marks a historic moment for New Mexico. This legislation reflects years of organizing, legal analysis, and most importantly, listening to the families and individuals directly impacted by immigration detention. By ending state and local participation in civil immigration detention contracts and prohibiting 287(g) agreements, New Mexico takes a clear step away from systems that separate families and cause lasting harm in our communities. We are deeply grateful to the bill’s sponsors, legislative champions, and community partners whose leadership and perseverance made this moment possible. With the governor’s signature, this long-fought effort becomes law, and we remain committed to ensuring its implementation reflects transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights,” said Jessica Inéz Martínez, director of policy and coalition building at New Mexico Immigrant Law Center.

“We applaud the people of New Mexico who united across the state to say ‘no more’ to the targeting of valued community members based on what they look like, where they come from, or the language they speak. Today, New Mexicans choose safety over cruel and abusive immigration detention,” said Kelvin Lopez, organizing manager at Detention Watch Network. “With the passage of the Immigrant Safety Act, New Mexicans are protecting their immigrant family members, neighbors, and friends to ensure communities are safe across the state from violent ICE agents and detention centers. Now more than ever, we need courageous leaders who aren’t afraid to unite against Trump and advocate for the rights and dignity of everyone.”

“Today marks an important moment in our history,” said Arturo Castillo, director of equity and culture at Conservation Voters New Mexico. “Detention centers have long been a source of human rights and environmental harms on our people and land. By signing HB 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, into law, New Mexico says loud and clear that enough is enough. We believe the state can invest in an economy that doesn’t sacrifice our people, our health, or environment - and today marks an important next step in this transition. We applaud the legislature, Governor Lujan Grisham, and numerous advocates who have worked tirelessly to make this moment a reality.”