ACLU of New Mexico Applauds Passage Of Key Civil Liberties Bills in the 2026 Legislative Session

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2026

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — As the 2026 legislative session comes to a close, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico applauds partner organizations, community advocates, and many legislators for their work advancing civil liberties in New Mexico. This session, lawmakers passed historic legislation that will protect immigrant community members, shield New Mexicans’ driving location data from abuse, and advance a slate of proven public safety reforms, including the first major updates to the parole system in over four decades.

“With the Trump administration back in office and actively undermining our rights at every turn, the stakes of this session were higher than ever,” said Lena Weber- Salazar, Policy Director for the ACLU of New Mexico. “Community partners and many dedicated lawmakers rose to the moment, advancing several critical bills that will help fortify New Mexicans’ rights against unconstitutional federal attacks.”

In early February, lawmakers passed and the governor signed The Immigrant Safety Act (HB 9)—a landmark bill that prohibits state and local governments from participating in detaining 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. Its passage comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has become more dangerous and less accountable than ever, with 32 people dying in ICE custody in 2025 alone, and makes clear New Mexico’s refusal to be complicit in the Trump administration's campaign of violence and fear.

Lawmakers also passed the Driver Privacy and Safety Act, SB 40, which prevents New Mexicans’ driving location data from being weaponized for immigration enforcement, constitutionally protected activities, or to track people seeking legal healthcare. Recently, out‑of‑state agencies exploited New Mexico’s automatic license plate reader data to track immigrant community members and people seeking abortion care.

In addition to these critical wins, the ACLU of New Mexico supported a number of other important successful measures, including:

• SB 43: Enacts the first substantive updates to New Mexico’s parole board procedures since 1980, requiring the parole board to base parole decisions on meaningful evidence, like rehabilitative efforts. It also prohibits scheduling hearings on victim anniversaries, which can cause emotional strain for victims and families, and clarifies reimbursement for parole board members.
• SM 21: Requests that the Department of Health study the feasibility and effectiveness of overdose prevention centers in New Mexico and identify the statutory and regulatory framework needed to implement them.
• SM 20: Requests that the Department of Health convene a statewide youth violence summit to develop a comprehensive, research‑based strategy for preventing and reducing youth violence.

In addition to fighting for the passage of proactive bills, the ACLU of New Mexico and partners successfully fought against harmful bills such as those that would have instituted automatic adult sentencing for youth, created new crimes, increased penalties contrary to public safety evidence, made it easier to hold people accused of a crime pretrial, and weakened the landmark New Mexico Civil Rights Act.

“While passage of critical protections for New Mexicans is essential, equally important is our coalitions’ ongoing work to hold the line against proposals — many advanced under the false guise of safety — that would have harmed our communities,” said Weber- Salazar. “We’re proud of the work accomplished by our community members, coalitions, and legislative champions this session, but our work is not done. Over the interim and in the 2027 legislative session, we’ll keep working with partners across the state to pass policy solutions that invest in our communities, help youth thrive, and shore up urgent measures to protect New Mexicans’ values, dignity, and autonomy.”

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