Deb Haaland, former U.S. Representative for New Mexico's first congressional district, has expressed her condolences following the death of U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva. In a statement, Haaland highlighted Grijalva's mentorship and leadership qualities.

"Mr. Grijalva was one of my mentors and a compassionate leader," said Haaland. "He was unwavering in his work to protect our air, land and water, and a powerful advocate for Tribal communities everywhere." She also noted his humor and straightforwardness: "I will miss his keen sense of humor and astute way of 'telling it like it is'. My heart goes out to his loved ones, friends, and our fellow colleagues who served alongside him."

During her time in the U.S. House of Representatives, Haaland chaired the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands under Grijalva's leadership as chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. Grijalva supported Haaland during her consideration for Secretary of the Interior and collaborated with her at the Department of the Interior on projects including protecting lands around the Grand Canyon, increasing infrastructure funding, and securing future water resources for drought-affected states.