Santa Fe, NM — Today, House Bill 9 received a 'Do Pass' recommendation from the Senate Judiciary Committee on a (5-3) party line vote. The current version of HB 9 attempts to ban local government entities from entering into contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain those accused or convicted of immigration violations. New Mexico has three such federal detention facilities located in Torrance, Cibola, and Otero Counties.
In a recent amendment, HB 9 now also restricts all local law enforcement agencies from entering any kind of agreement with ICE when it comes to detention or transport. If enacted into state law, this bill has major consequences for New Mexico. It compromises public safety by undermining the enforcement of federal law, it kills hundreds of New Mexico jobs, and it financially harms several counties in the state that have been engaged in contracts with ICE for years. Lastly, the sponsors of the legislation fail to take into account any potential consequences from the federal government should this political stunt be signed into law.
"This sorry excuse for a bill is purely political theater. Its reckless language compromises public safety, puts hundreds of New Mexicans out of a job, and potentially bankrupts several Counties," said Senator Jim Townsend. He continued, "New Mexican voters need to understand that Democrats in Santa Fe care more about pulling political stunts to stick it to President Trump than they do about working towards real solutions for our state. Instead of working to hold criminals–here legally or not–accountable, Democrats would rather pass legislation that harms our state in order to score political points to satisfy their radical base. What Democrats fail to understand is, this legislation is most likely going to be struck down in federal court while antagonizing federal authorities. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
*HB 9 now advances to the Senate Floor for final passage. The time frame is to be determined.
