State Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, sits among his President Donald Trump campaign memorabilia in his shared office with Rep. Stephanie Lord, R-Sandia Park, at the Roundhouse Thursday, March 13, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican

By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican

As the sponsor of a bill that would prohibit the state from releasing driver data to help enforce federal civil immigration law, Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, said she’s not trying to rile the Trump administration.

“I’m trying to protect our people,” said Sedillo Lopez, one of the most progressive senators in the Legislature.

Republicans, however, worry Democrats’ proposed policies during the 60-day session could come at a steep price to the citizens of New Mexico.

They say proposed pieces of legislation championed by Democrats that would limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or otherwise thumb their nose at President Donald Trump, intentionally or unintentionally, could put a target on New Mexico, which relies heavily on federal funding. 

The Trump administration has warned of repercussions against states that stand in the way of a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration.

In addition to the privacy bill that would prohibit the state from releasing certain personal information, including driver data, to enforce federal civil immigration law, Democrats have introduced bills that would bar public agencies from entering into agreements for federal immigration detention centers and another that would prohibit state and local agencies in New Mexico from using public resources to enforce federal immigration laws.

A Democrat also introduced a House joint memorial urging Trump “to honor his oath of office to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and to focus the efforts of his administration on lowering costs for Americans.”

“Why are we playing a game of chicken with the president of the United States?” asked Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington. “The progressives in the Legislature have decided that they’re going to make political statements, and the budget’s at risk.”

‘We’re doing the right thing’

House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, said the Legislature is in Santa Fe “to serve and work on behalf of all of our communities, on behalf of all of our people.”

“New Mexicans are resilient, honorable, brave people. Since when do we shy away from, in this case, the federal government?” he asked.

When the issue of immigration is raised by the federal government, Martínez said he immediately thinks of all the farmworkers “who are picking our food”, the employees in the oil and gas fields “who power New Mexico, literally, through their labor”, and children who are afraid to go to school because of the “national narratives around immigration”.

“I don’t think we’re picking a fight. I think we’re doing the right thing by our communities,” said Martínez, who was born in El Paso and raised in Ciudad Juárez until he was 8.

“As long as I’m here, we’re going to do the right thing,” he added. “We’re going to fight for the most vulnerable. We’re going to fight for the least amongst us. That’s how I was raised, and that’s how I will continue to lead.”

Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, agreed, saying progressive Democrats are provoking the Trump administration with several pieces of legislation, including a bill that would require counties to terminate their federal immigration detention contracts.

The legislation, he said, puts New Mexico “directly in the crosshairs” and at risk of losing federal funding.

“All of these bills are all just a big ‘screw you’ to the president, and with that, the president will say, ‘That’s cute. That’s nice. It would be a shame if you lost billions and billions of dollars’ because we are one of the most federally dependent states in the country,” he said. “If we [pick a fight with] Trump, then he’s going to [fight] right back. And when he does, it’s going to be a lot worse for us. We will not profit nicely from those bills that we’re passing.”

But advocates of the bills say New Mexico is well within its rights to legislate on immigration issues as it sees fit, and the state must do what’s best for its residents.

American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico attorney Becca Sheff noted many attempts by the Trump administration during his first term in office were struck down in court. 

“Our state legislators are not here to make legislative decisions for our people based on bullying and threats from the federal government, especially threats of unconstitutional retaliation for us exercising our traditional states’ rights under the 10th Amendment,” she said.

Martínez said New Mexico will continue to lead with courage, honor and compassion.

“Since when does doing the right thing need to hinge on money? It seems like blackmail,” he said. “I fully expect the federal government to abide by the rule of law. I fully expect them not to blackmail us or any other community. … If we’re just going to shy away because the president is throwing out threats left and right, what are we doing? Why are we here as state government if we cannot stand up for all of our communities?”

‘Maybe we should be defunded’

Block said progressive Democrats and their supporters are just asking for trouble, especially for a state that not only relies of federal funds but ranks poorly in education and child well-being.

“Maybe we should be defunded because if we are defunded, then we will know what it takes to trigger a federal administration,” he said. “If we want to be a cesspool of a ‘Third World’ failed state that’s still in the union, that’s what we’re going to continue to be, and we’ll do it without the federal government’s help.”

Block pointed to a proposed “Diversity Act” that would create positions in the State Personnel Office and other agencies to lead diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as another example that runs counter to Trump.

“On the federal level, they have canceled DEI, which is woke, unfair practices that target and discriminate based upon sexual orientation, gender, your race, etcetera,” he said, adding he has raised concerns during hearings New Mexico is instigating a showdown with the president.

Amy Barela, chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, accused Democrats of misplaced priorities.

“Democrats in the Legislature are playing politics with precious time during this session by pushing through legislation in blatant defiance of the Trump administration,” she said in a statement.

“Their partisan games will ultimately result in New Mexico losing millions in federal funding, when instead they could have spent their time addressing the revolving door of crime, fixing [the state Children, Youth and Families Department], remedying our health care shortage, and improving our dead-last education,” Barela added.

Barela warned Democrats’ actions could have consequences at the ballot box.

“If Democrats waste time on these anti-Trump bills but fail to tackle crime and other urgent matters that New Mexicans are pleading for, good luck to them in the upcoming elections,” she said.