Crystal Brantley, a state senator, said in a press release that Governor Lujan Grisham's intention to ban immigration detention centers in an upcoming special session is a political diversion from urgent issues like juvenile justice reform and public safety crises.
"New Mexico is under a clear and present danger from within our own state lines," said Crystal Diamond Brantley, New Mexico State Senator from 35th District (R). "Look at our headlines from CYFD, to the Young Park massacre, to UNM this past weekend—we have deeply rooted issues and yet here we are again talking about Trump. Our President has taken illegal immigration to the lowest numbers ever, but here we are finding a way to use taxpayer dollars to pick a fight with the administration for cheap political points. I'm deeply upset yet not surprised that this is shaping up to be another special session of hot air."
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration is preparing for a likely special legislative session in the fall to address unresolved issues from the 2025 regular session. According to her chief counsel, among the Governor's priorities is a statewide ban on immigration detention facilities. This proposal follows previous efforts to limit private detention contracts in New Mexico and is part of broader criminal justice and immigration policy reforms pursued by the administration.
New Mexico currently has two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities operated by private contractors: the Otero County Processing Center and the Torrance County Detention Facility. Both have been subject to numerous complaints related to unsafe conditions and detainee mistreatment. In 2022, the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties issued reports identifying serious health and safety deficiencies at the Torrance facility, including inadequate medical care and unsafe sanitation, according to a DHS investigation.
Juvenile justice issues in New Mexico remain a growing concern, with the state ranking among the highest in the nation for youth incarceration disparities. A 2023 report from The Sentencing Project indicated that Black and Indigenous youth in New Mexico are incarcerated at rates 4 to 6 times higher than white youth. The state has seen stalled efforts at bipartisan juvenile justice reform in recent years, despite multiple legislative proposals introduced to reduce reliance on confinement and expand diversion programs.
Brantley is a Republican State Senator representing District 35, which includes Elephant Butte and portions of southern New Mexico. A former educator and small business owner, she has focused her legislative work on public safety, juvenile justice, and infrastructure development.
