News & Commentary

Kesley’s Legacy: Why No Detention is Safe

After three long years of litigation, the private prison company CoreCivic paid a settlement to the wrongful death estate of Kesley Vial, a 23-year-old Brazilian asylum seeker who died by suicide while in ICE custody at the Torrance County Detention Facility (TCDF) in Estancia, New Mexico, in August of 2022.

Latest Press Release

Jul 1, 2026

Billboards Celebrate NM Civil Rights Act Fifth Anniversary

To commemorate the five-year anniversary of the New Mexico Civil Rights Act (NMCRA), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico has placed five billboards praising the landmark law across Albuquerque.

A billboard that says "The NM Civil Rights Act turns five. Justice never gets old" with a "Welcome to New Mexico" sign on it.

More from the Press

Stay informed on civil rights issues. Discover our latest actions and updates in the Press Release section.

New Mexico Must Keep Its Promise on Civil Rights

Five years ago, New Mexico made a promise. When our state passed the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, we declared that the rights guaranteed by the New Mexico Constitution meant something.

A graphic showing hot air ballons, a person holding their arms out towards a sunrise, and a sunset with painted clouds behind a silhouetted road sign.

The Case for Investing in New Mexico's Youth

The ACLU of New Mexico, along with partners, is prioritizing holistic solutions in juvenile justice — because we know these are the approaches that are safest and most effective for our communities.

Mar 20, 2025

Behind Detention Walls: Leonel’s Story

By Rebecca Sheff, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU of New Mexico & Zoe Bowman, Supervising Attorney at Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center

By Rebecca Sheff

Mar 07, 2025

Behind Detention Walls: Yofer's Story

Yofer Fernando Orozco-Herrera, from Barinas, Venezuela, dreamed of a career in public service. Instead, he was forced to flee his homeland in search of safety and opportunity.

By Rebecca Sheff

Stylized image of Yofer's personal family pictures

Feb 28, 2025

Behind Detention Walls: Junior's Story

Junior is one of the hundreds of people held on any given day in immigration detention in New Mexico. His experience illustrates the systemic abuses that plague these facilities.

By Rebecca Sheff

Stylized image of a group of Junior's childhood pictures inside polaroid frames

Feb 27, 2025

Protecting Our Privacy Rights: New Mexico Must Act Now

Our right to privacy is eroding at an alarming rate, as privacy protections have not kept pace with the rapidly evolving surveillance technologies.

By Lena Weber

Feb 27, 2025

Behind Detention Walls: Why New Mexico Must Act

This summer, Colorado College students working with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and the ACLU of New Mexico sat down with people detained in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Otero County Processing Center.

By Rebecca Sheff

An image with immigrants and the statue of liberty and prison walls behind them.

Feb 13, 2025

A Voice for the Voiceless

This poem was presented at End Mass Incarceration Day during the New Mexico Legislative Session by Adam Griego, who was formerly incarcerated, at the Roundhouse.

Adam Griego cuddles with his grandson on a velvet couch

Feb 11, 2025

Loving Them Through Every Mistake

Hello community, my name is Kimberly Apodaca. I am a native New Mexican and a mother of a son who is currently incarcerated in the Department of Corrections, doing a 10-year sentence.

Jan 15, 2025

Banning TikTok is Unconstitutional. The Supreme Court Must Step In.

Our First Amendment right to express ourselves must be protected.

A person is holding a sign outside the Capitol Building that reads " #Keep TikTok".

Dec 26, 2024

Who is Pete Hegseth?

What to know about Trump’s secretary of defense nominee and his stance on civil liberties.

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