A chance to protect and serve: New law allows eligible non-citizens to serve in law enforcement
Apr. 13—Local officials are excited about a recently signed bill allowing non-citizens in New Mexico to serve in law enforcement if they are authorized to work in the United States.
On April 7, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Senate Bill 364, which allows people with work authorization from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to serve as sheriffs and police officers.
Currently, only U.S. citizens can serve in those capacities, Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Franchesca Perdue said in a news release.
"The change will expand the pool of eligible law enforcement candidates and give more people opportunities to serve their communities as officers," Perdue said.
Bill co-sponsor Sen. Cindy Nava, D-Bernalillo, said in a statement that SB364 is "more than a public safety bill."
"It opens the doors for people like my brother Eric, a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient who dreamed of serving our community but was forced to leave New Mexico to do so," she said. "Now, others like him will finally have the chance to protect and serve the state they call home."
Nava co-sponsored the bill with House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, and Sens. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, and Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces.
The bill also addresses law enforcement retention in New Mexico, Nava co-wrote in a letter to the Journal.
"With fewer recruits entering the profession and more officers retiring or leaving for other opportunities, law enforcement agencies have struggled to maintain adequate staffing levels," she said. "SB 364 opens the door for individuals who might otherwise have never considered a career in law enforcement — people who are already working, living and contributing to our communities but were previously excluded from this essential work."
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