New Mexico Passes Immigrant Safety Act, Limiting ICE Contracts

Sen. Martin Heinrich backs the new law aimed at keeping local law enforcement focused on community safety rather than immigration enforcement.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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New Mexico has passed the Immigrant Safety Act, which prevents local governments from contracting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for civil immigration violations. The law, signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, aims to keep local law enforcement focused on community safety rather than immigration enforcement. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich supports the new law, stating that New Mexico is sending a clear message that it will not be "complicit in this federal program that is showing us so much overreach, so much abuse of people who are here lawfully."

Why it matters

The Immigrant Safety Act reflects a growing trend among states and localities to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts, particularly in light of concerns about overreach and abuse. The law also underscores the tension between federal and state/local priorities when it comes to immigration policy.

The details

The Immigrant Safety Act prohibits using public property to assist with federal detention and reflects a focus on addressing real criminal activities like human trafficking and cartel involvement, rather than civil immigration violations. Senator Heinrich emphasized that "when immigration enforcement is focused on people who are doing human trafficking, who are part of cartels, everybody supports that."

  • The Immigrant Safety Act was signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday, February 6, 2026.

The players

Sen. Martin Heinrich

A U.S. Senator from New Mexico who supports the state's new Immigrant Safety Act.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

The Governor of New Mexico who signed the Immigrant Safety Act into law.

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What they’re saying

“This is a place where we have to take a stand and say, 'This is not how we do law enforcement in the United States of America,'”

— Sen. Martin Heinrich (kob.com)

“We're not going to be complicit in this federal program that is showing us so much overreach, so much abuse of people who are here lawfully,”

— Sen. Martin Heinrich (kob.com)

“When immigration enforcement is focused on people who are doing human trafficking, who are part of cartels, everybody supports that,”

— Sen. Martin Heinrich (kob.com)

What’s next

The new law could face potential repercussions from the federal government, but Senator Heinrich stated that "it is more important than ever for people across this country to raise their voices" in support of the Immigrant Safety Act.

The takeaway

New Mexico's Immigrant Safety Act represents a growing movement among states and localities to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts, prioritizing community safety and civil liberties over aggressive immigration crackdowns. The law underscores the ongoing tensions between federal and state/local priorities on immigration policy.