[Lauren Taylor]
NEW MEXICO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM VOWS HER STATE A BORDER STATE WILL NOT HELP PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION CARRY OUT PLANS OF MASS DEPORTATIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.
HOWEVER, GRISHAM SAYS SHE’D BE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE INCOMING REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION IF THEY WANT TO ASSIGN MORE FEDERAL AGENTS TO HELP GET VIOLENT CRIMINAL MIGRANT OFFENDERS OFF THE STREETS.
IN A STATEMENT TO NEWSWEEK, GRISHAM SAID “WE WANT EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE THAT ASSISTS WITH INVESTIGATIONS, INTERDICTIONS, AND DEPORTATIONS OF CONVICTED FELONS AND THOSE WHO ENTER OUR COUNTRY AND ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. IF THE INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO ASSIGN MORE FEDERAL AGENTS TO WORK WITH US IN THAT REGARD, IT IS WELCOMED. THIS IS WHERE OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE.”
THE GOVERNOR’S NEW COMMENTS COME AFTER 26 REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS MADE A STATEMENT LAST WEEK SUPPORTING TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES… WRITING “WE STAND READY TO UTILIZE EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL—WHETHER THROUGH STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE NATIONAL GUARD—TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THIS VITAL MISSION.”
GOVERNOR GRISHAM REJECTS THE IDEA OF USING THE NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP IN MASS DEPORTATIONS SAYING IT WOULD “WREAK HAVOC” ON NEW MEXICO’S WORKING CLASS AND COMMUNITIES.
IN RESPONSE, GRISHAM TOLD NEWSWEEK “WE’LL USE EVERY LEGAL TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO CHALLENGE MASS DEPORTATIONS, AND WE’LL JOIN WITH OTHER STATES IN DOING SO BECAUSE THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. I WILL NOT ASSIGN THE NEW MEXICO NATIONAL GUARD TO ASSIST WITH MASS DEPORTATIONS THAT BREAK UP FAMILIES AND WREAK HAVOC ON OUR ECONOMY IN NEW MEXICO. FEDERALIZING THE GUARD SO THAT WE HAVE NO ONE HERE TO DEAL WITH NATURAL DISASTERS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES IS UNTENABLE.”
TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY SAID HE’S GOING TO CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BY SHUTTING DOWN THE BORDERS, ENDING THE CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION ONE APP CREATED UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ALLOWS MIGRANTS TO SEEK ASYLUM, IMPLEMENT THE REMAIN-IN-MEXICO POLICY AND USE FEDERAL AND STATE RESOURCES TO STOP THE FLOW OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM COMING OVER THE BORDER. HE’S ALSO TAPPED HIS BORDER CZAR, TOM HOMAN, TO IMPLEMENT HIS PLAN OF THE LARGEST MASS DEPORTATIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN US HISTORY.
HOMAN HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS AND MAYORS OF SO-CALLED SANCTUARY CITIES AND STATES WHO SAY THEY WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PLANS.
GOVERNOR GRISHAM URGES CONGRESS TO PASS A BI-PARTISAN BORDER SECURITY BILL SAYING IF REPUBLICANS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND NOT JUST GRANDSTANDING THEN THEY WILL PASS A COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION BILL.