NATIVE AMERICAN PUBLIC RELATIONS & ID SYSTEM

SB 435 would appropriate $1 million from the state general fund to the New Mexico Department of Justice for fiscal year 2026. The funds would support a public relations campaign to inform all New Mexico residents about their rights regarding deportation or harassment by federal immigration officers, and create an identification system to verify tribal membership for members of Indian nations, tribes, and pueblos, including a citizenship verification hotline. Unused funds would revert to the general fund by the end of 2026. This bill directly affects tribal members through the ID system and all New Mexico residents through the campaign.