8/4/2019 Families, Roads Stay Safe With Death Of Anti-Immigrant License Repeal

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FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE:SEPTEMBER27,2011CONTACT:CRISTINA PARKER,BNHRMEDIA COORDINATOR,915-875-9107,CPARKER@BNHR.ORG

Families, Roads Stay Safe With Death OfAnti-Immigrant License Repeal

The failure of Gov. Susana Martinez and her tea party allies to take drivers licenses from

undocumented immigrants is a result of overwhelming pressure from communities

(ANTHONY, New Mexico) In the end, the pressure was too intense.

Of the several bills designed to restrict or repeal driver licenses for immigrants living in NewMexico, none passed in this special session.

Lawmakers in Santa Fe were faced with more than five thousand petitions, hundreds of phone

calls, multiple mobilizations and thousands of protestors. The legislature was under pressure

from local elected officials, religious leaders and most of all, from their own constituents. They

reacted to the intense public debate happening across the state and in the end, both parties

rightfully turned their backs on the bills.

This is another nail in the coffin for anti-immigrant rhetoric. This sets an import precedent

because they could not force their xenophobic vision on New Mexico, said Fernando Garcia,

Executive Director of BNHR. And why? Because they didnt have the statewide support they

thought they did.

Garcia added: Working families, students and communities were the victors today because the

New Mexico tea parties and Susana Martinez couldnt impose their regressive, anti-immigrant

agenda in the state, he said.

The news of the bills defeat traveled fast out of Santa Fe and was met with cheers in

communities in the southern half of the state, where the repeal would have had the most

profound effects on families.

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The Border Network for Human Rights, founded in 1998, is one of the leading immigration reform and human rightsadvocacy organizations in the U.S. BNHR has over 7,000 members in West Texas and Southern New Mexico.

mailto:cparker@bnhr.orgmailto:cparker@bnhr.org

8/4/2019 Families, Roads Stay Safe With Death Of Anti-Immigrant License Repeal

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Wefeel very proud that we won this battle against racism and hatred and the agenda of anti-immigrant, anti-Hispanic Susana Martinez, said said Lourdes Cruz, BNHR Las Cruces

Coordinator. We defeated hatred and that gives us pleasure.

But much damage has been done. Martinez turned neighbors against each other and created fearwhere understanding and cooperation should reign.

And Martinezs aggressive, fear-mongering tactics leave behind a divided state and an

impression that many wont soon forget. She shamefully compared immigrants to terrorists,

foolishly complained that her heritage was under attack, stifled dissent and abided racist

language from her supporters.

Its likely that the governor will have lost more than just her crusade against immigrants this

session.

We are happy today, but we feel disappointed to have a governor who is Hispanic and still tries

to divide our communities, Cruz said. That is a big shame.

Martinez is already feeling the cost of divisive political posturing. Her appearance at the

conservative Hispanic Leadership Network meeting in Albuquerque this weekend was

overshadowed by hundreds of protesters with one message: New Mexico is against anti-

immigrant politics.

In a dramatic gesture, a group of students interrupted her speech with chants and handed a basket

to one of her aides, filling it with their drivers licenses. Give her what she wants! the students

yelled.

For the second time this year, the ugly and xenophobic politics of Arizona that have infected

many state legislatures have been defeated. First, Texas did better and now in New Mexico,

communities made a stand and lawmakers listened.

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The Border Network for Human Rights, founded in 1998, is one of the leading immigration reform and human rightsadvocacy organizations in the U.S. BNHR has over 7,000 members in West Texas and Southern New Mexico.