Organizations Condemn Trump Administration's "Sanctuary Jurisdictions" List
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Following the Trump administration's release late yesterday of a list targeting so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions across the United States, a coalition of New Mexico immigrants’ rights organizations condemned this executive action as unconstitutional and immoral. Executive Order 14287, issued by President Trump on April 28, makes several unlawful threats against local counties and cities that opt not to participate in the administration's mass deportation agenda.
The coalition called on New Mexico communities to continue prioritizing constitutional protections and public safety over federal intimidation.
The executive order and the resulting “list” represent a direct assault on states’ rights, threatening to tear apart families and devastate local economies across New Mexico. Immigrant-friendly policies have been repeatedly upheld in federal courts, including by judges appointed by President Trump.
The Trump administration is threatening to impose serious and unlawful consequences on the listed jurisdictions:
- Demanding that cities and counties “immediately review and revise” their policies in violation of core principles of federalism and states’ rights;
- Withholding federal funding from jurisdictions that protect their residents' constitutional rights;
- Federal litigation against local officials for declining to assist with mass deportation efforts; and
- Criminal charges against mayors, county commissioners, and other leaders who prioritize local public safety.
New Mexico jurisdictions targeted by the executive order include the counties of Bernalillo, Chaves, Colfax, De Baca, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, and Taos; and the cities of Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Quotes from the coalition:
Fabiola Landeros from El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos said, “We are proud of the legacy we’ve built in New Mexico, including the passage of policies that promote public safety, safeguard civil rights, promote immigrant integration, and recognize the vast contributions of our immigrant communities. The Trump administration’s terrifying vision of mass deportation and family separation and their willingness to trample on constitutional rights and utilize illegal tactics is not only against New Mexican values, but it will also have a devasting impact on our communities and economy. We cannot let Trump’s illegal targeting of New Mexico communities tear down what we have spent decades to build up. We stand with our local elected officials who are willing to put New Mexicans first and will not be held hostage to these illegal threats.”
Jessica Inez Martínez, director of policy and coalition building at New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, said, “Labeling sanctuary policies as ‘lawless insurrection’ is not only inflammatory—it is legally baseless and a reckless distortion of the rule of law. At the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, we see every day how immigrant families are building lives rooted in care, resilience, and hope. They are our neighbors, coworkers, and caregivers—essential to the cultural and economic life of New Mexico.
“Policies that threaten to punish cities for protecting their residents risk tearing at the fabric of trust that holds our communities together. We work every day with immigrant families who are deeply rooted in New Mexico and essential to its future. These politically motivated attacks undermine public trust, chill access to essential services, and erode the foundational principles of due process and equal protection. We will continue to stand with local leaders and community members to ensure that New Mexico remains a place where all people—regardless of immigration status—are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect.”
Gabriela Ibañez Guzmán, staff attorney with Somos un Pueblo Unido, said, "Immigrants who call New Mexico home continue to be at the forefront of creating, passing and implementing the best public policies not only for them and their families but for all New Mexicans, regardless of their immigration status. These illegal and coercive executive orders only aim to divide and separate us in this country and in our state. We know New Mexico is well within its right to decide what is best for all New Mexicans and does not have to cower to these threats. One of our strengths in New Mexico is our familias and our ties to each other. We won't turn our backs on our larger New Mexico family."
Miles Tokunow, executive director of Santa Fe Dreamers Project, said, “This executive order is not about public safety; it’s about control. It’s a bullying tactic aimed at forcing New Mexico communities to become arms of the federal deportation machine. At Santa Fe Dreamers Project, we work with immigrant survivors of violent crimes who have the courage to step forward and seek justice. Policies like this retraumatize them, push them into the shadows, and make our communities less safe. In New Mexico, we know that safety doesn’t come from criminalizing immigrants—it comes from building trust, offering support, and honoring our shared humanity.”
Lena Weber, interim policy director with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, said, “New Mexico has a proud tradition of welcoming immigrants. Immigrants and mixed-status families are integral to our communities. We talk a lot about public safety in this state—and we know that we are all safer when our families can go to school, work, and health centers without fear of being torn away from their loved ones. In the face of these extraordinary and likely unlawful threats, the ACLU of New Mexico will continue to stand strong alongside our community partners to fight back against government overreach and attacks on hard-won freedoms in our state.”
