A coalition of New Mexico immigrants’ rights organizations denounces the Trump administration’s latest effort to pressure local governments into cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. The backlash follows the release of a federal list naming so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions across the country—communities that limit their involvement in immigration enforcement.

The list, issued under Executive Order 14287 and signed by President Trump on April 28, outlines punitive actions targeting counties and cities that decline to participate in the administration’s mass deportation strategy. Advocates in New Mexico say the move is both unconstitutional and immoral, and are calling on local communities to resist federal intimidation and uphold constitutional protections and public safety.

“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,” said Fabiola Landeros from El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos in a press statement.  

Immigrant advocates contend that the executive order and its accompanying list represent a direct assault on states’ rights, compromising local governments’ ability to establish their own public safety policies. They caution that this measure could result in family separations and economic damage throughout New Mexico, where immigrant communities are essential. 

“Labeling sanctuary policies as ‘lawless insurrection’ is not only inflammatory—it is legally baseless and a reckless distortion of the rule of law,” said Jessica Inez Martínez, director of policy and coalition building at New Mexico Immigrant Law Center.

The executive order outlines a series of sweeping and legally dubious consequences for jurisdictions included on the list. Among the threats: a mandate that cities and counties “immediately review and revise” their policies, pressuring them to abandon local priorities in violation of federalism principles; the withholding of critical federal funding from communities that protect constitutional rights; and the possibility of federal lawsuits against local officials who decline to aid in mass deportation efforts. In the most extreme measure, the administration even threatens criminal charges against mayors, county commissioners, and other local leaders who choose to prioritize public safety over immigration enforcement.

“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,”  said Lena Weber, interim policy director with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico.

“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, added Gabriela Ibañez Guzmán, staff attorney with Somos un Pueblo Unido.

Supporters of sanctuary policies also highlight that such local protections have consistently been upheld in federal courts, even by judges appointed by President Trump himself.

“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,” explained Miles Tokunow, executive director of Santa Fe Dreamers Project.

As legal and political pushback builds, New Mexico’s immigrant rights organizations are reaffirming their commitment to protecting the rights of all residents. Advocates stress that the state’s communities should not be forced to choose between public safety and constitutional values, and they vow to resist policies that seek to divide and intimidate.