New Mexico Ends Local Law Enforcement Cooperation with ICE

The state's new Immigration Safety Act shuts down ICE detention facilities and bans 287-G agreements.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed the Immigration Safety Act, which aims to address concerns about the treatment of migrants in ICE detention facilities in the state. The bill also quietly ends local law enforcement's ability to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through 287-G agreements, which allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws.

Why it matters

The new law is part of a growing trend among states to limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, with several others like California, Illinois, and Oregon having similar restrictions. This reflects an ongoing debate over the role of state and local governments in immigration policy, with some arguing it's a federal issue while others say states should have more control.

The details

The Immigration Safety Act effectively shuts down ICE detention facilities in Otero, Torrance, and Cibola counties due to concerns about inhumane treatment of detainees. It also includes a provision that bans any law enforcement agency from entering into 287-G agreements, which previously allowed local police to cooperate with ICE. This has frustrated some local sheriffs, like Michael Brockett of Curry County, who had developed programs to hold undocumented immigrants in jail until ICE could take custody.

  • The Immigration Safety Act was signed by Governor Lujan Grisham nearly two weeks ago.
  • The new law is set to go into effect at the beginning of May.

The players

Michelle Lujan Grisham

The Governor of New Mexico who signed the Immigration Safety Act.

Michael Brockett

The Curry County Sheriff who had entered into a 287-G agreement with ICE, allowing local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Chris Clem

A former Border Patrol agent and El Paso Sector Deputy Chief who explained how 287-G agreements work.

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What they’re saying

“Our detention centers, particularly a couple, have long been in the news, far longer than a decade. For questions about whether or not there was fair, credible constitutional treatment of the individuals who were being detained.”

— Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor of New Mexico (KOAT)

“In a nutshell, it grants limited authority to state and local jurisdictions to cooperate with immigration enforcement.”

— Chris Clem, Former Border Patrol Agent and El Paso Sector Deputy Chief (KOAT)

“We book them in and oftentimes before we can even get the paperwork done. They're released back into our community to create more victims and create more havoc in our community.”

— Michael Brockett, Curry County Sheriff (KOAT)

What’s next

The new law is set to go into effect at the beginning of May, at which point local law enforcement agencies in New Mexico will no longer be able to cooperate with ICE through 287-G agreements.

The takeaway

New Mexico's new Immigration Safety Act reflects a growing trend among states to limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, raising ongoing debates about the appropriate roles of state, local, and federal governments in immigration policy.