By Jonathan Salazar, M.Ed.
Senior Policy Analyst
April 3, 2026

In New Mexico, we often say that our state isn’t like other states given our unique history, culture, and way of life. This belief carries over into our state politics, where we make major political leaps in support of our communities, our families, and our people. This legislative session, our lawmakers proved this by passing policies that prioritize immigrants’ safety over surveillance, opportunity over exclusion, and dignity over fear. 

The 2026 Legislative Session was a historic session for our state, our children and families, and for immigrant communities in New Mexico. Together, with immigrant leaders and community members, lawmakers codified into law a bold policy agenda focused on civil immigration detention, immigrant integration and the protection of sensitive information.

What pro-immigrant legislation passed during the 2026 legislative session?

  • HB 9, the Immigrant Safety Act – Establishes critical statewide safeguards to protect immigrant families by limiting federal efforts for mass deportation and separation of families. It prohibits state and local governments from entering into agreements to detain individuals for civil immigration violations, bans 287(g) agreements that deputize local law enforcement to act as immigration enforcement agents and ends the use of public state-owned land for immigration detention. 
  • HB 124, New Americans Division in WSD – Codifies the Office of New Americans within the Department of Workforce Solutions. The office will help ensure that New Mexico immigrants contributing to key sectors, including, but not limited to, agriculture, construction, health care, and early childhood education, have the support they need to integrate into their communities and fully participate in our state’s workforce. 
  • SB 40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act – Strengthens protections for immigrant drivers by restricting the use of license plate reader data for immigration enforcement. This ensures that everyday activities like driving to work, school, or child care cannot be used to track or target immigrants in our state.

New Mexico Voices for Children applauds our legislators, Governor, and state leaders for the passage and enactment of these three bills. Nonetheless, we must also contend with the fact our state is still catching up. New Jersey, Oregon, and Illinois have already enacted similar protections, and are now advancing policy and legislation that move further, such as creating regulations that address industries that profit from immigrant detention and family separation. If we want to protect and uplift immigrant dignity in our state, we must go beyond ending complicity and actively work to address systems that capitalize from harm, detention, and separation. 

What Else Can New Mexico Do for Immigrant Families?
  • Create a direct cash assistance program for children and families in New Mexico that have been financially impacted by immigration enforcement that resulted in the detention or deportation of a parent, caregiver, or financial provider 
  • Pass legislation that creates statewide processes and procedures that help eligible immigrants gain access to pathways that lead to legal status, such as the U-VISA Certification Act
  • Ensure families that are no longer eligible for federally-funded support programs (such as SNAP), because of new restrictions imposed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, have access to state-sponsored, long-term alternatives

The progress made during the 2026 legislative session reflects years of organizing, advocacy, and leadership from New Mexico lawmakers and immigrant communities. With the passage of the Immigrant Safety Act and the two other pieces of legislation, New Mexico must now work swiftly to ensure that immigrants are safe and that their dignity is protected.