Why

Individuals residing in New Mexico deserve basic civil and human rights, basic rights that even the US government acknowledges are denied to those in ICE detention. Past efforts to reform immigration detention failed, and DHS recognizes this fact. Given the inability to resolve repeated failure through reform; the presence of particularly problematic facilities in New Mexico; the failure of detention centers to serve as stimulators of rural hosting communities; reliance on exploitative captive labor; frequency of uninvestigated sexual assaults and harassment; severe barriers to justice; and the existence of cheaper, more humane, viable alternatives to detention; it is time to end immigration detention. Considering that New Mexico is one of the top states for hosting immigration detention it is imperative that New Mexico begin the process of phasing out its participation in an expensive, unnecessary, and inhumane system. HB624 the Rubio-Maestas Immigration Detention Facilities Act seeks to prevent expansion of New Mexico’s participation in immigration detention and until detention centers are closed, implements immediate independent oversite of existing facilities.