New Mexico’s New Law Lets Non-Citizens Become Cops—But at What Cost?

New Mexico has passed a new law allowing foreign nationals with federal work permits to serve as police officers, raising alarm among critics who question the legality, safety, and logic of the move amidst rising crime and law enforcement shortages.

Key Facts:

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 364 into law on April 7, allowing foreign nationals with work permits to become police officers.
The Biden administration issued over 2 million work permits to non-citizens in 2024, many via controversial parole programs.
New Mexico ranks highest in violent crime in the U.S. and has the lowest rate of solving violent crimes.
Critics argue the law is unconstitutional and unsafe, especially since federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms.
Other Democrat-led states such as California, Illinois, and Colorado have adopted similar policies.

The Rest of The Story:

Senate Bill 364 was introduced to help fill the gap left by a dwindling police force in New Mexico.

The state has been dealing with a rising wave of crime and a shortage of officers.

Police Chief Jeremy Story of Las Cruces attributes much of the decline in recruits to anti-police sentiment dating back to the George Floyd riots in 2020.

Democratic lawmakers backing the bill believe it will expand the potential applicant pool to those already living and working in New Mexico communities.

Senator Cindy Nava, a co-sponsor of the bill, stated that the law helps include individuals who were previously ineligible but are already contributing to local life.

However, the bill’s critics are warning about deep flaws.

Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) noted that many of the individuals in question cannot undergo proper background checks, especially if they are from countries that don’t share law enforcement data.

Mehlman also emphasized that federal law bars illegal immigrants from carrying firearms — an essential tool for any police officer.

Grisham, who signed the bill, has previously shown hostility to gun rights, as demonstrated by her 2023 executive order banning gun carry in Albuquerque — an order that expired in 2024.

Meanwhile, the crime situation in the state remains dire. Albuquerque has seen rampant lawlessness, with one business reporting seven murders in five years.

Chief Story stresses that more officers are needed to prevent crime, conduct traffic enforcement, and reduce theft.

Mehlman contends that the crime problem in New Mexico isn’t due to a lack of illegal aliens in uniform, but instead stems from soft-on-crime policies and unaddressed social breakdowns.

BREAKING: In New Mexico, American citizens can now be arrested by non-citizens—because apparently, nothing says 'public safety' like outsourcing law enforcement to people who haven’t even finished becoming Americans. Don’t worry though, they’re legal non-citizens. Feel safer yet. https://t.co/wAPr8ZMTLn

— Ismaine Ayouaz (@IsmaineAyouaz) May 10, 2025

Commentary:

Giving a badge and gun to someone who entered the country illegally defies basic common sense.

Law enforcement officers are given immense authority and responsibility — the bare minimum should be a background check and legal residency.

But in many cases, it’s not even possible to perform adequate vetting on foreign nationals, especially from countries that lack reliable records or are hostile to the U.S.

This proposal doesn’t just create a legal contradiction; it endangers trust between communities and the officers sworn to protect them.

Many of the same states that pushed for this kind of policy were also among those that vilified police, cut department budgets, and reduced consequences for criminal behavior.

Now, faced with rising crime and depleted ranks, they are trying to paper over their failures with quick fixes that bring new risks.

Policing has become a job that few want — not because the work is too hard, but because the cultural and political environment has made it a target.

If officials truly want to rebuild public safety, they need to restore law and order, support officers, and enforce consequences for criminal actions — not lower the bar for who can enforce the law.

The Bottom Line:

New Mexico’s decision to allow non-citizens to become police officers is a controversial solution to a serious staffing and crime crisis.

Critics say it opens the door to safety risks and undermines the credibility of law enforcement.

This move highlights a growing divide between common-sense security concerns and politically driven policymaking.

Without fixing the root causes of police shortages, this law could make the problem worse, not better.

New Mexico’s New Law Lets Non-Citizens Become Cops—But at What Cost?

Key Facts:

The Rest of The Story:

Commentary:

The Bottom Line:

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