疯客直播 Fe County commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-0 to at spelling out protections for immigrants as President Donald Trump continues to make good on his promise to deport illegal immigrants.
The resolution, which was introduced by Commissioner Lisa Cacari Stone, directs County Manager Gregory Shaffer to preclude the collection of immigration status by county employees as well as explore potential solutions to 鈥渟ervice gaps鈥 for immigrant residents and their families.
鈥淭his resolution comes at a time that calls for our urgencies,鈥 Cacari Stone said. 鈥淭hese executive orders have had grave implications for our localities.鈥
The resolution says the 疯客直播 Fe County Adult Detention Facility does not honor administrative warrants or hold requests from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement directed toward inmates in the county-operated facility. It also states the sheriff鈥檚 office does not participate in ICE鈥檚 鈥淒elegation of Immigration Authority Program,鈥 which allows local law enforcement to hold noncitizens for up to 48 hours for immigration purposes.
To increase access to timely information and 鈥渄iminish disinformation,鈥 the resolution also directs the county to create a centralized webpage with links to third-party resources for immigrants, including information on civil liberties and constitutional rights and resources in English, Spanish and other languages.
鈥淚mmigrants make up 11% of the county鈥檚 population. They play a vital role. They are our families. They are our relatives,鈥 Cacari Stone said.
Trump, who vowed on the campaign trail to carry out the largest deportation effort in American history, has signed a flurry of executive orders related to immigration since stepping into the Oval Office again last month, and across the country, there has been an increase in immigration-related arrests.
Although there have been no confirmed reports of roundups locally, anxieties about immigration raids in Northern New Mexico continue to simmer, recently prompting New Mexico Attorney General Ra煤l Torrez to issue new guidance for community leaders and to denounce the Trump administration鈥檚 threats of criminal prosecution for local officials who interfere with a crackdown.
鈥淢any of our families are quite afraid to receive services right now because they fear that that experience will be targeting. We have a lot of pregnant women who are afraid to access maternal health care,鈥 said Stacey Frymier, of Las Cumbres, a New Mexico-based community organization, during the meeting.
The resolution says the county jail 鈥渟hall NOT house immigrants on behalf of ICE for civil violations of immigration laws.鈥
鈥淐ertainly, this is an issue at the forefront of everyone鈥檚 mind. I think everyone understands here, and as the proposed resolution makes clear, a request from ICE to hold someone on civil immigration detainer is something that by county policy is not honored at the Adult Detention Facility,鈥 said County Attorney Walker Boyd during the meeting. 鈥淭hat has long been county policy.鈥
鈥淚 was pleased to sign this resolution. I think it is entirely consistent with federal and state law,鈥 said Boyd. 鈥淚 think the county is within its rights and authority to consider this and is not placing itself in any substantial legal risk by considering this resolution.鈥
Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at Tuesday鈥檚 meeting his office supports the resolution.
鈥淲e want to make sure people feel safe, and when they call 911 or they have an emergency, we are going to respond and help, irregardless of your immigration status,鈥 Mendoza said.
鈥淣ow, when it comes to the criminal element, people that are perpetrating crimes on the citizens of 疯客直播 Fe County 鈥 serious felonies, violent crimes or sexual acts 鈥 the sheriff鈥檚 office takes those very seriously and will utilize any state, local and federal jurisdiction to help either remove these individuals from the community or stop them from victimizing citizens within 疯客直播 Fe County,鈥 Mendoza added.
The resolution states no department, agency, commission, officer or employee of the county shall use county funds or resources to gather the immigration status of people in the county 鈥渦nless expressly required by law.鈥
鈥淯nfortunately, we are living in a time where fear is really palpable in a number of residents in our community and that is something we should take to heart,鈥 said Commissioner Adam Fulton Johnson.
