Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
ahedden@elritomedia.com

Eddy County may be in the sights of the federal government as a so-called “sanctuary” county for undocumented migrants, according to a list published Thursday, May 29, by the Department of Homeland Security.

The county, along with 22 other New Mexico counties including nearby Chaves, Otero and Lincoln counties and the cities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque were included on the list, which was apparently taken down by the federal agency as of Monday.

But that didn’t stop Eddy County Sheriff Matthew Hutchinson from decrying the “inaccurate information” presented by the federal release, contending Eddy County was not a “sanctuary for criminals.”

Hutchinson said that as sheriff his oath to defend the constitution will be upheld “without discrimination.”

“The Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, as it has in the past, will enforce the law regardless of the law enforcement origination,” Hutchinson said in the Monday statement. “This enforcement will be done without any biases. This county for as long as I am sheriff will not be a sanctuary for criminals.”

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a Thursday statement as the list was released that “sanctuary city politicians” are putting Americans and local police in danger while protecting “violent criminal illegal aliens.”

Each jurisdiction on the list was to receive a “formal notification” of its non-compliance with federal immigration police and violations of federal statutes, according to the Department of Homeland Security news release.

The notice would include a demand that the jurisdictions immediately review their policies to be in compliance with federal policy, the release said.

It was unclear as of Monday if such notices were sent out or received by Eddy County or any of the other listed counties and cities.

“We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law,” Noem said. “President (Donald) Trump and I will always put the safety of the American people first. Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law.”

The presence of rural, largely conservative New Mexico counties on the list sparked confusion among local leaders such as Hutchinson who vowed to uphold the law in the wake of their communities’ inclusion.

Amy Barela, chairwoman of the New Mexico Republican Party and an Otero County Commissioner, said her county in 2019 voted to pass a resolution expressly declaring that it was not a sanctuary for undocumented migrants.

“Despite misleading reports and inaccurate listings by outside organizations, Otero County has never adopted sanctuary policies, nor has the Board of County Commissioners ever made such declarations,” she said.

12th District Attorney Ryan Suggs, whose office covers Otero and Lincoln counties, said he stood ready to enforce federal immigration policies supported by the Trump administration.

“If any municipality or public agency has policies, procedures, or memorandums of understanding that may conflict with federal immigration law, my office stands ready to assist in reviewing and addressing those issues,” Suggs said.

The list, before it was apparently taken down over the weekend, was met with backlash from county sheriffs across the country.

Canyon County, Idaho Sheriff Kieran Donahue, who serves as president of the National Sheriff’s Association, a group known for supporting tighter immigration laws, said the list was published with a “lack of transparency” as to how and why jurisdictions were included.

“This is an unfortunate and unnecessary erosion of unity and collaboration with law enforcement and the enforcement of the rule of law at a time when that unity is needed most,” Donahue said in a Saturday statement. “This decision by DHS could create a vacuum of trust that may take years to overcome.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.