By Nicole Maxwell
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez issued guidance Wednesday in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement that the president plans on expanding immigration enforcement into sensitive spaces such as churches, hospitals and schools.
“Our priority is to protect New Mexico’s families, especially children, from policies that create fear and destabilize communities,” Torrez said in a news release. “We are committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring public safety, but we must also safeguard the ability of families and children to access education, healthcare and justice without fear of persecution.”
The policy change reverses safeguards acknowledged by both Republicans and Democrats and “underscores the urgent need for local leaders to understand their rights and responsibilities at the intersection of state and federal law,” the news release states.
The guidance includes an outline of judicial protections under the Constitution’s 4th Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable search and seizure. The guidance also emphasizes the difference between immigration enforcement in public and nonpublic areas and addresses enforcement action impacts on crime victims, including domestic violence survivors.
The guidance also encourages “schools, healthcare providers and places of worship to develop policies that balance legal compliance with the need to maintain safe and welcoming environments,” the news release states.
Torrez added that although he supports enhanced border security and targeted enforcement operations focused on violent criminals and national security risks, “Rounding up children, crime victims and sick people is beneath the dignity of a great nation.”