Economic relief bill headed to governor's desk after state bans contracts with ICE

Just hours before the Legislature adjourned, lawmakers passed a $5.5 million economic relief package for counties and municipalities that may lose millions when contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement end.

“I can’t control what already happened,” said sponsor Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, referring to the Immigrant Safety Act. “I understand that people want to help people, but I don’t think the economic cost was really considered.”

Muñoz described his bill as an “emergency” measure to keep the lights on in communities like Grants and Milan that economically depend on immigration detention centers.

Muñoz was the only Senate Democrat to vote against the Immigrant Safety Act, saying it would tank his constituents’ local economy.

His reactionary bill, which was first heard just days before the end of the session, ultimately passed both chambers and now heads to the governor's desk.

Thursday evening, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's staffers confirmed that she supports the bill and plans to sign it. 

Alongside economic relief, the bill also includes millions for the Children, Youth, and Families Department as well as other miscellaneous initiatives. 

That funding amounts to $33.7 million, easily dwarfing the economic relief package for rural New Mexico.

The bill was heavily amended in its short stint, with the economic relief portion ultimately being slashed in half from $10.5 million to about $5.5 million. The cut was due to an amendment that shortened the counties’ eligibility for aid from two years to one.

Lawmakers argued that the money was a short-term fix to begin with and that a more robust economic development plan should be brought before the legislature next session.

Muñoz mostly agreed.

“I'm all right with that,” Muñoz said. “I mean, it's better to try to help and this is a reaction. We don't know what's really going to happen.”

After the Legislature adjourned at noon, Muñoz didn’t stick around long. Just hours after the session formally ended, Muñoz was nearly home to Gallup.

Once home, the hard work will begin in earnest, he said.

Trying to craft a plan with constituents to fill the economic gap the detention centers will leave won’t be easy, Muñoz said.

From uranium to coal, his community has seen industry after industry come and go. Muñoz said he wasn’t sure what will come next for small towns like his.

One thing he was certain of was that he wouldn't miss Santa Fe.

“I never smiled so much as when I saw Santa Fe in my rear view mirror,” Muñoz said. 

Gillian Barkhurst is the local government reporter for the Journal. She can be reached at gbarkhurst@abqjournal.com.