SANTA FE — Hundreds of immigrant families and over a dozen organizations marched on New Mexico’s capitol Feb. 3 at Immigrant and Workers’ Day of Action, a powerful day of advocacy, resistance, and solidarity. Essential immigrant workers highlighted their invaluable contributions to New Mexico’s economy and demanded stronger protections for immigrant families in the face of daily threats from the Trump administration.
From New Mexico’s southeastern oil patch to the Four Corners region, immigrant workers and youth traveled to Santa Fe to rally in support of several legislative proposals that aim to better integrate the 200,000 mixed-status immigrant families in the state’s ongoing public safety efforts. These bills would strengthen MVD and internet data privacy protections, prohibit local law enforcement agencies from using limited public resources to help ICE deport New Mexican immigrant families, streamline U-Visa certification requests for undocumented victims of crime, and curtail local government contracts to detain immigrants in federal civil immigration custody.
"It’s time to recognize immigrants' indispensable role in New Mexico’s economy," Marcela Díaz, Executive Director of Somos Acción, said. "From construction and agriculture to hospitality and oil and gas, immigrant workers, entrepreneurs, and consumers are necessary to our state’s success. We simply can’t afford Trump’s draconian dragnet.” “Our families contribute over $1.4 billion in taxes yearly and work overtime to generate this state’s oil and gas revenues, funding critical services that benefit everyone. Yet, despite these vital contributions, immigrant communities still face daily threats of deportation and family separation. Today, we are demanding our leaders recognize our essentialness, honor our resilience, and stand united in the fight for justice and dignity for all New Mexicans.”