Lawmakers hold hearing on ICE detention in New Mexico

By MARY HUDETZ, Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State lawmakers have heard testimony about conditions inside federal facilities that house migrants in New Mexico, where the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has entered into agreements with counties and private companies to operate two detention centers.
About 200 people filled a state capitol room for the legislative committee hearing Monday in Santa Fe.
Adriel Orozco, an attorney for the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, urged lawmakers to enact a measure that would prohibit counties from entering into new agreements with ICE to expand or add immigrant detention centers in the state.
The ICE facilities in New Mexico are in Otero and Cibola counties.
Orozco said immigrants at the Cibola County facility have complained of medical neglect.
An ICE spokeswoman did not immediately provide comment in response to an emailed request from The Associated Press.