Latest news with #SomosUnPuebloUnido
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NM group condemns federal raid on Lovington dairy farm
Homeland Security Investigations announced it had arrested 11 people at a Lovington, N.M., dairy farm on June 4. The agency released this image of the arrests. (Photo courtesy HSI) The federal immigration raid at a dairy farm in Eastern New Mexico last week tore families apart, damaged trust and 'undermined our shared values of compassion and justice,' according to Somos Un Pueblo Unido, a statewide immigrant advocacy organization. According to a social media post from Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso, the agency executed a search warrant at the Outlook Dairy Farms in Lovington on June 4, arresting 11 people accused of misuse of visas, permits or other documents. The owner of the dairy farm told the Albuquerque Journal that the people arrested provided him false paperwork and that, following an audit before the raid, he'd been required to fire 24 other workers at the farm. ICE offers Albuquerque immigrant reprieve — for now In a statement Monday morning, María Romano, coordinator of the Lea County office of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, said that the raid undermines New Mexico's economy, which relies heavily on immigrant workers who are 'powering industries from dairy farms to oil and gas.' 'The individuals targeted in this raid are our neighbors, coworkers and friends, many of whom have lived here peacefully for years, contributing to our economy and enriching our culture,' Romano said. 'These enforcement actions do not make us safer.' The organization called on local and state leaders to demand transparency from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to protect New Mexicans' rights regardless of immigration status. 'This recent raid reminds us that our communities must be aware of their rights. We must continue to empower ourselves to defend our dignity and demand justice for all New Mexicans.' The group shared a website it created explaining people's rights, regardless of immigration status, with information for victims of wage theft, along with dealing with ICE, Border Patrol and police at border checkpoints and elsewhere.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We all deserve better': New Mexico marches for workers, immigrants
A May 1 march in Albuquerque's Old Town stretched over a city block Thursday evening, as immigrants rights groups, unions and others took to the streets. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Several thousand people took to New Mexico streets Thursday evening, in marches and community gatherings — complete with paletas and protest signs — in celebration of workers, expressing solidarity with immigrants and others targeted by the Trump Administration. 'We're not going to let them destroy our workforce, we're going to protect our kids, and we are going to show them that we are here to stay,' said Fabiola Landeros, community organizer on immigration for El Centro, repeating herself in Spanish to the crowd. Both events in Santa Fe and Albuquerque were bilingual. Approximately 100 people gathered outside the St. Bede's Episcopal Church in Santa Fe on Thursday evening to rally against U.S. President Donald Trump's mass deportations and disappearances and celebrate the immigrant workers' rights movement in New Mexico. Another couple thousand people marched in the streets of Albuquerque after a rally at Tiguex Park, stretching the full length of a city block. Thursday was International Workers Day, also known as May Day, a holiday directly born from the fight for workers' rights in the U.S. sparked by the demand for the eight-hour workday. The U.S. has long refused to officially recognize the holiday, but rallies, demonstrations and protests took place across the country as part of a national day of action, including in several additional New Mexico locales. The gathering in Tiguex opened on a somber note, with neighbors of Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, a 58-year old Vietnamese national who died in ICE custody on April 16, speaking out, holding signs with his photo. Nguyen, who had dementia, was detained during a Feb. 24 appointment with ICE in Albuquerque. A statement from his nephew, Duke Nguyen, was read out, memorializing his uncle's love of soccer and his affection for his nieces, who remained in Vietnam. 'With this, I say we remember Nhon as someone who will be deeply missed, but never forgotten — for the person he was and the impact he had on those around him,' the statement concluded. Rick Hatfield, 70, a former school counselor in Zuni and Farmington said 'I am worried about our democracy, Trump is a facist and wants to become a dictator, if people don't stand up and fight him.' (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Dolores Teubner and daughter Donna Tupper, 25, joined the event Thursday. 'We are constantly trying to raise awareness of transgender rights, the threat to transgender people and the fear they're feeling right now,' said Teubner. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Father Ryan Lee led a candlelight vigil for Pablo, who died recently as is the son of Maria Christina, one of the founders of Somos Un Pueblo Unido. 'We will teach this world what it is to be the light of truth and love and what it is to respect the dignity of every human being,' Lee said. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) Genaro Calderon, 25, a UPS worker, said 'Just to see this, it's cathartic in a way, to show that we all agree, we all want to fight for the same things and we all deserve better.' (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) From left, the Swann family Piper, 9, Raelynne, 7, Rhine with Rhett, 5, and Samantha. 'We wanted to support public education and show our kids how important it is to join as a community, to get out and protest," Samantha said. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Gretel Barrita, a member of Somos un Pueblo Unido originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, said it takes bravery to immigrate to a new country. 'Not anyone has the strength to leave their place of origin, leaving their family behind, leaving their homes behind, and taking a new path toward what they don't know,' Barrita said in Spanish through an interpreter. 'Long live immigrant workers.' (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) Megan Taros, environmental justice and community development coordinator at the nonprofit Earth Care and the child of a Mexican immigrant, said while the Trump administration is targeting immigrants, no one is safe under fascism. 'While our pride in our communities is a risk, and fighting back is a risk, looking away will not save you,' said Taros, who has previously contributed to Source NM. 'We demand not only that MAGA Republicans end this assault on our communities, but also that our Democratic leadership act in a manner that reflects the severity of this moment. Beyond the political binary, we must demand a radical change in the system that values profit over people, which depends on caging and subjugating specific groups. Our liberation depends on it.' (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) Unions, immigration groups and people protesting the Trump Administration policies took to the streets of Albuquerque and Santa Fe on May 1. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM)
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico immigrant rights group joins lawsuit over IRS and DHS agreement
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A local immigrant rights organization is sounding the alarm over the Trump Administration's agreement between the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security to share data of undocumented immigrants who pay taxes. Story continues below Business: Two big New Mexico brands up for sale as owner looks toward retirement Education: Albuquerque high school students get up-close look at big-time film production News: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham authorizes National Guard deployment to ABQ 'It's grossly unfair, it's very dangerous, it's anti-democratic, and we all have to put a stop to it,' said Marcela Díaz, Executive Director of Somos Un Pueblo Unido. Somos Un Pueblo Unido is just one of the immigrant advocacy groups taking legal action, filing a joint lawsuit asking a judge to temporarily block the implementation of the agreement. Republicans are supporting the agreement. 'Some Democrats frame this as political, but it's simply enforcing existing laws written by Congress. The agreement is a practical, legal step under Section 6103 of the tax code, which allows data sharing for law enforcement purposes. DHS is only accessing targeted data on individuals with final removal orders or who are under investigation for serious issues,' said Ash Soular, spokesperson for the Republican Party of New Mexico. But the lawsuit filed by the immigrant advocacy groups claims the agreement is unconstitutional. Díaz said for decades, undocumented immigrants have been using Individual Tax Identification Numbers, or ITIN, to report income, pay taxes, and open bank accounts under the assurance that their information would not be used by deportation authorities. 'It's a betrayal of trust for our community, but also it would lead to the detention, deportation, and separation of families that have come forward, that have complied with state and federal law in paying their taxes,' said Díaz. According to Somos Un Pueblo Unidos, about 15,000 immigrants in New Mexico use ITIN to file their state taxes every year. 'New Mexico's immigrant population contributes approximately $1.4 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, with $554.6 million of that amount supporting public schools, hospitals, roads, and more,' said Somos Un Pueblo Unidos in a press release. 'These are terrible policies that are highly unmoral, irrational, but they're not just affecting mixed status immigrant families and children, they're affecting main street,' said Díaz. The group is also calling on state leaders to speak out and 'do more' for immigrant families in New Mexico. Díaz said there is a hearing on the lawsuit next week. Meanwhile, The Associated Press is reporting that the head of the IRS resigned from her post over her disagreement with this agreement between the IRS and DHS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers consider making high school equivalency tests free for some New Mexicans
Students hold diplomas after completing educational requirements. (Getty Images) Jorge Rodriguez has lived in Lea County for a year, working as a fitness instructor to provide for his family, but says he is limited in his professional growth without a GED certificate. And right now, he can't afford the cost of the certification test. 'If high school equivalency testing were free and if there were more testing centers like that in my rural community, I would be able to get my certification and then scale up in English and other skills,' Rodriguez said during a March 3 House Appropriations and Finance Committee hearing on House Bill 167. Rodriguez testified in Spanish with English translation on behalf of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, a New Mexico organization that advocates for immigrant workers and racial justice. Under HB167, the Higher Education Department, which sponsors the bill, would pay for high school equivalency tests for New Mexico residents who are at least 16, do not have a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate and who have passed an equivalency practice test with scores indicating they will likely pass the official test. According to the bill's fiscal impact report, the cost is $145 per exam. Less than 6,000 New Mexicans took the exam during FY24, which would have cost the department about $870,000. The Higher Education Department noted in the report that an estimated 190,000 adults in the state lack a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; people with those certifications earn about $6,500 more annually. The department also said in a news release that if the tests were free for New Mexicans, there would be an estimated 20 to 40% increase in test participation. 'We continue to look for more ways to reduce costs for New Mexicans looking to enhance their career and workforce potential,' Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez said in a statement. 'A high school equivalency can unlock so many new pathways, and this legislation to eliminate barriers will benefit tens of thousands of New Mexicans.' Marcela Díaz, executive director of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, told Source NM the organization supports the bill because it removes a barrier that immigrants and lower income people in general face in advancing their educational and professional careers. She said other barriers include childcare, transportation, equipment and access to broadband. Díaz said many of the immigrants her organization works with can become stuck in low wage jobs because they do not have their high school diploma or equivalency certificate to enroll in certificate programs, apprenticeships or other forms of higher education. 'A lot of our folks come to the state older,' Díaz told Source NM, adding that they may need further assistance in 'shoring up' skills so they are prepared to pass equivalency exams. She said Somos Un Pueblo Unido advocates for more funding for adult education as a whole and described it as an 'on-ramp' for immigrant workers in particular. A woman identified only as Lucero spoke in favor of the bill during the March 10 Senate Education hearing and also represented Somos Un Pueblo Unido. She spoke in Spanish with English translation, explaining to committee members that she is a working mother and has spent five years trying to finish her studies so she might work in an office. 'In these times, everything has gone up in price: the bills, the rent, the food. Thinking about paying the extra for exams…has limited me in continuing in school,' Lucero said. Leah Ellis, a student ambassador for the NM Adult Education Association, spoke in favor of the bill on March 3 and told lawmakers that she previously earned a high school equivalency certificate. 'Without a high school equivalency, doors to higher education and many career paths are effectively closed, preventing access to better opportunities,' Ellis said. 'The Opportunity Scholarship that you instated for myself and New Mexico's residents to benefit from become unreachable…without the high school equivalency diploma.' HB167 is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee, its last committee referral before a Senate floor vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NM immigration, civil rights groups back enhanced digital privacy protections
A new report from Somos Un Pueblo Unido and other advocacy groups released Jan. 30, 2025 details how federal immigration agents can use public data to apprehend people. A report released Thursday by several immigration and civil rights advocacy groups details ways in which the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement agency may use New Mexico motor vehicle, jail records and other data to apprehend people. The report, from Somos Un Pueblo Unido, Just Futures Law, Empower and Mijente, describes how ICE uses third-party data companies, such as LexisNexis, to access information such as property, financial and criminal records. Representatives from most of the organizations, during a briefing on the report, also outlined legislative efforts they are supporting in the 2025 New Mexico legislative session to protect residents' privacy on the internet and within the health care sector. 'As many know, these are terribly difficult times for the most vulnerable communities, and we count on New Mexico's long history of protecting those who face persecution: immigrants, transgender people, those asserting their reproductive rights,' Somos Un Pueblo Unido Staff Attorney Gabriela Ibañez Guzmán said. 'We already have a target on our back.' As related to MVD data, Guzmán emphasized that 'we know it is not the intention of our state's MVD to assist enforcement of federal immigration law…it is happening in an indirect fashion. This is not MVD directly handing over information.' Bobbie Marquez, acting director of communications for the state Taxation and Revenue Department, under whose purview MVD falls, said in a written statement provided to Source: 'New Mexico, like most states, provides MVD data as is necessary to facilitate critical government functions such as voter registration, state and local law enforcement activities, vehicle recall notices, employment driver history checks, and vehicle history reports for purchasers of used vehicles. MVD data is restricted to the greatest extent possible to meet these purposes. During the 60-day legislative session, lawmakers may consider changes to state law that would further restrict use of MVD data. We look forward to those discussions and will continue to fully comply with state law in the event it is amended.' One bill the groups back is Senate Bill 36, the Sensitive Personal Information Nondisclosure Act, sponsored by state Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (D-Albuquerque), which would place more limits on the disclosure of personal information and create violations for disclosures not permitted under the law. The bill is currently in the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee. 'New Mexico has taken important steps to integrate New Mexicans, regardless of our status, into the state's various public safety measures: making sure immigrant drivers have driver's licenses; that we've taken the test; that we have car insurance; that our cars are registered,' Ibañez Guzmán said, 'and immigrants have done the right thing and complied. But when New Mexicans approach state agencies, we have the expectation that our personal, sensitive information will be protected and at minimum not shared widely without strong safeguards.' Organizers noted that disclosure of state data to ICE agents had 'been going on for years as part of the Biden administration.' However, the Trump administration's heightened emphasis on deportation changes the stakes. 'As we see the unfolding reports of an escalation of raids and of ICE using more invasive surveillance tactics to carry out these raids, the availability of driver and vehicle data of New Mexico residents is more of a concern than ever to immigrant community members that are exposed to criminalization,' Futures Law Just Futures Law Senior Staff Attorney Laura Rivera said. Ibañez Guzmán also noted that while under the Biden administration, ICE 'certainly did have access and was…using data brokers and this information to…target folks, there was a priority list. And so members of our community, who are immigrants and have committed no criminal offense, were not a priority for enforcement, for removal or deportation. As we see now, with the slew of executive orders that were released… the first day of this administration, everybody is a target.' Representatives from the ACLU-NM and Bold Futures said they also would be advocating for forthcoming legislation to enhance internet and medical data privacy, respectively. The internet, Deanna Warren, ACLU of New Mexico Reproductive Rights and Gender Equity attorney said, 'is full of collections and data. Brokers are constantly scraping all of this information online and selling it to data brokers, and all of this information is fed into AI and used to make really consequential decisions about our jobs, our housing, our finances. And this information can also lead to bias and discrimination in those areas.' Thus, 'We are sorely in need of privacy protections and by extension, greater safety for our communities,' she noted, but 'we need to do so in a way that also preserves access to crucial internet access and other online services. We know that information is very critical specifically in the areas of reproductive rights, mental health services and for LGBTQ+ communities.' Kat Sanchez, policy director of reproductive justice organization Bold Futures New Mexico, said her group would be backing proposed health data safety legislation 'The bill prohibits the sale of health data or its use for targeted advertising without explicit patient consent,' Sanchez said. 'Current existing laws don't comprehensively regulate health data processing and sharing, leaving individuals vulnerable to exploitation. And this bill closes those gaps and enhances protections for all New Mexicans.' This story was updated shortly after publication to include a requested response from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department.
