A flagship Democrat-backed effort to shut down immigration detention in New Mexico has collapsed in real time — with every single facility staying open despite the passage of a sweeping anti-ICE law.
Earlier this year, the Democrat-controlled Legislature pushed through the so-called “Immigrant Safety Act,” designed to block counties from working with federal immigration authorities. Activists and lawmakers touted the measure as a way to effectively end immigration detention operations across the state.
That didn’t happen.
Instead, the federal government quickly moved around the law — and won.
According to reporting from the Santa Fe New Mexican, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already secured a direct contract with private prison company CoreCivic to continue housing detainees in both Cibola and Torrance counties. The contract officially took effect May 1 — weeks before the law’s May 20 implementation date.
Previously, counties served as intermediaries between ICE and private operators. The new law attempted to sever that relationship. But rather than shutting down operations, the federal government simply cut the counties out entirely.
The result: business continues as usual.
ICE spokesperson Leticia Zamarripa confirmed the contract was awarded April 30 with a May 1 start date, though federal officials declined to release full details, according to the New Mexican. Federal spending records show at least $13.4 million has already been allocated, with the contract running through April 2027.
Local officials made clear they are no longer involved — but also made clear the facilities are not going anywhere.
Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher said the county is now “not involved with the ICE inmates in any way shape or form,” after being instructed by federal officials to step aside before the new contract began.
Torrance County officials similarly confirmed their prior agreement expired in March and that they have no role in the new federal arrangement.
But the most revealing reaction came from those who feared the law would devastate local economies.
“The jobs won’t go, and we’re very relieved — so relieved,” Fletcher told the New Mexican.
That relief underscores what critics warned from the start: the law targeted local governments, not the federal government or private companies actually running the facilities.
The third major detention center in Otero County is also staying open after county officials rushed to extend their ICE contract before the law took effect. When the state attempted to block that move, the New Mexico Supreme Court rejected the effort outright.
In total, all three major immigration detention facilities in the state remain operational — directly contradicting claims that the legislation would shut them down.
Even some advocates acknowledged the outcome amounts to a failure of the policy’s core goal.
Ian Philabaum of Innovation Law Lab called the continued operation of facilities “a direct rebuke of the will of the people,” according to the New Mexican.
But the legal reality is clear: the state lacks authority to stop federal immigration enforcement or private contracts — a limitation that has doomed similar efforts in other states.
Despite months of political rhetoric and legislative maneuvering, New Mexico’s attempt to dismantle ICE detention has resulted in no closures, no shutdowns, and no meaningful disruption.
Instead, the system remains intact — just with counties removed from the process.
In the end, the law didn’t stop ICE.
It simply changed who signs the paperwork.
This is great, but the democrats of New Mexico won’t learn and will only blame Trump for the troubles that they themselves are causing.
Im glad ICE is still doing there jobs
NM needs to get cleaned up. These lawmakers need to stop thinking about themselves and start protecting the people of NM. We need new people in out government that will do there job
New Mexico may wake up some day and start electing moderates to office instead of far left Democrat Socialists, some say it is another name for Communists. I have no problem with true Democrats, my parents and grandparents were democrats but nothing like the extremists that have taken over a once proud party.
There is one Major Downfall, and that is all those “County Employees” that are now Private Employees will no longer be paying into the NM Public Employees Retirement Fund and may not have as good of a retirement plan now. I’m extremely grateful they kept their jobs but I pray they will be taken care of in the long run.
We definitely need common sense government that puts the citizens of this great Nation first.
Freebies no longer for the undocumented at taxpayers expense, while our own struggle to make ends meet.
The Rule of Law must still rule or we all will be in the hands of Zoltan Mamdani clones and the democratic parties of this state.
Lets be clear. the democrat party has NEVER been about fixing anything . they have always been about SHOWING WE DID SOMETHING even though that something is meaningless. MLG covid policies fixed nothing. we had the worst sickness numbers in the nation despite the fact we wore masks for months. the masks did nothing, but MLG could say SHE DID SOMETHING. its all about the theatre of WE DID SOMETHING because the dem voter believes their BS and keeps voting for them. same for ICE, ,WE DID SOMETHING even though it amounted to NOTHING. its the democrat way. vote democrat and get more NOTHING
Well said!!!
If in deed the comment is correct about not paying into the state retirement plan I would think that is a plus, it is better to have self control over your plan or allow the state to make changes on a whim. I also think democrats should be ashamed of them selves. 58% of NM is not democrat. For the state to be controlled by democrats show the state is only hungry for power and give a crap about representing the citizens of NM. If the tables were turned the dems would be protesting/demonstrating in the streets. Heck the republican HQ has been attacked twice in the last year. Something is dirty in Santa Fe and the dems give a crap less as long as they can promote the killing of babies and stripping citizens of there constitutional rights.
Slowly but surely the Democrats are loosing ground. Lets keep the movement going. 🇺🇸
Remediating the gerrymandering which deprives conservative New Mexicans representation in Congress should be next.
The proof is out there these sanctuary city’s and states care more for the criminals than their own citizens. The statements they’re sending out are dangerous and extremely traitorous. Clowns doing a show for their audience . I say lock them up also, the trashcan scum!!!!
I believe the shattering five solid years of aggravated stalking and harassment I endured as a vulnerable single senior in this state is directly related to the runaway crime everyone knows has been happening. In my county, I see through to who it was and there are other victims. There are crime rings operating that use corrupt people in positions of authority to tear targeted victims lives to pieces. There are also cameras everywhere, including places people will be shocked to find out about. I believe there’s a lot of evidence of people abusing me around town because it went on for five years. Can their lies hold up against solid evidence? It’s all going to come out, eventually.
Funny, if this was ” The Will of the People” we would have had a vote on it, and it would never passed the bogus legislation which is limited to creating laws for gov’t employees and not the public.
Nobody’s rebuked MY will in this matter. ☺️
This is a huge blow to open borders advocate Gabe Vasquez.
One more blow to their Socialist Utopia