BERNALILLO COUNTY’S IMMIGRANT FRIENDLY STATUS HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. BERNALILLO COUNTY IS ONE OF 23 JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY RECEIVING LETTERS FROM THE D-O-J ASKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES TOWARD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. FAILING TO RESPOND COULD RESULT IN SUBPOENAS BEING ISSUED AND THE LOSS OF FEDERAL GRANTS.
LAST YEAR, BERNALILLO COUNTY PASSED A RESOLUTION PROHIBITING THE USE OF COUNTY MONEY TO CHECK ON SOMEONE’S IMMIGRATION STATUS, OR TO APPREHEND THEM BASED ON THAT STATUS.
