ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico’s two U.S. senators are seeking a meeting with federal immigration officials in hopes of clarifying whether any changes have been made in response to President Donald Trump’s immigration executive orders.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich say they’re getting reports that innocent people are being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the wake of a push by the administration to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally.
The two Democrats also said Friday they would not support any plan to mobilize the National Guard to remove unauthorized immigrants.
A draft memo obtained by The Associated Press showed the Trump administration considered mobilizing as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up immigrants in the country illegally.
The White House said the draft proposal was rejected and would not be part of plans to carry out Trump’s immigration policy.
The senators say they want to determine a path forward toward what they called sensible immigration policy.
A state lawmaker is pushing a measure that would prevent the New Mexico National Guard from performing federal immigration operations. Democrat Bill McCamley of Mesilla Park introduced his bill Friday after The AP report on the Trump administration’s draft proposal.
McCamley’s measure also would ban the New Mexico Guard from using resources and funding for federal immigration enforcement.
Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester says the administration’s proposal to mobilize National Guard troops to round up unauthorized immigrants is “immoral.” Wester told The Associated Press on Friday that he also couldn’t imagine National Guard troops in New Mexico taking part in such missions aimed at their families, friends and neighbors.
Gov. Susana Martinez says she has not seen Trump’s plan.
New Mexico, a state with the highest percentage of Hispanic residents, was among the states cited in the draft memo.
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