New Mexico Stands Tall for Families and Humanity

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

I have crossed New Mexico several times over the years, mostly along the main highway corridor that runs east-to west and was known as "Route 66" when I was a child traveling with my parents to visit relatives in California.  Today that same basic roadway is known as Interstate 40, a relatively straight four-lane that goes from Texas to Arizona and connects the cities of Tucumcari (in the east) to Santa Rosa, Albuquerque, Grants, and Gallup (in the west). It's a famous passage with lots of history, and always brings to mind that famous rhythm and blues standard, "(Get Your Kicks on) Interstate 40."

My most memorable trip to New Mexico was in 1994 when, as a fairly new employee with the state of Missouri, I had already earned so much "comp time" from shuffling foster students around on weekends and evenings, that I was ordered to take some time off rather than the state risk having to buy it from me at some later date.  I hadn't been on a train since I was in elementary school, and a friend who was a travel agent (remember those?) convinced me to take a train from Kansas City and go someplace.  I studied the rail maps and wound up choosing a place I had never been before, but one which contained much in the way of history and places of cultural interest - Santa Fe, New Mexico.  

Santa Fe was not on the AmTrak rail line, but the train company ran a shuttle service that transported passengers between the train station in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, roughly 60 miles or a one-hour trip.  I spent a week in downtown Santa Fe at a decent motel and explored many sights including the old historic plaza, San Miguel Chapel (built in 1610) and the oldest church in the continental US, the state capitol building, and so much more.  It was a wonderful trip and I met many very nice people there.  I always intended to return to Santa Fe someday, but never have.

New Mexico has featured prominently in the news a couple of times over the past few months for what I consider to be very commendable reasons.   Both focused on bills passed by the state's very progressive legislature and signed into law by New Mexico's  forward-looking Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The first of Governor Lujan Grisham's progressive measures was the no-cost, universal child care program (UCC) which became law last November and eliminated income-limits for state-subsidized child care assistance up through the age of thirteen.  More children with state-approved child care meant more parents being able to work or get an education - something other states, such as my own state of Missouri, have yet to figure out.

And this past week the state of New Mexico took a significant step to limit the power of Trump's masked and marauding secret ICE army when the governor signed the "Immigrant Safety act" into law.  The new legislation prohibits state and lcoal governments from entering into or renewing contracts with federal immigration authorities (ICE) for civil detention.  In other words, the state of New Mexico will not assist ICE in locking up its residents.  It also prohibits public land and facilities from being used for immigration detention.

While most of the nation is still focused on subjugating women and people of color, New Mexico stands tall and is stepping into the future by building a more affordable and safer environment for all of tis people.

¡Felicitaciones gobernadora Michelle Lujan Grisham y al pueblo de Nuevo Mexico!