Let's Talk New Mexico 1/28, 8a: The state legislature is considering two new bills that could have a dramatic impact on New Mexico’s communities of color. House Bill 70 seeks to update our state’s domestic terrorism laws, but civil rights organizations claim that it targets communities of color, and that prosecutors should use existing laws at their disposal to hold white supremacists accountable. At the same time, New Mexican activists working to reform prisons and immigrant detention centers are pushing forHouse Bill 40 which would ban private prison contracts in our state, including at immigrant detention centers.
On this week’s Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll be speaking with legislators and activists about the Domestic Terrorism Definitions bill and the Private Detention Facilities Moratorium Act and what it means for New Mexico. Do you think New Mexico needs new anti-terrorism legislation? Has your community been a target of anti-terrorism laws? How have private prisons and detention centers impacted your family or your community?
Email us at LetsTalk@KUNM.org, tweet #letstalkNM or call in live during the show.
Guests:
- Peter Simonson, Executive Director of theACLU of New Mexico
- State RepresentativeDayan Hochman-Vigil, D, sponsor of House Bill 70
- State RepresentativeKaren C. Bash, D, sponsor ofHouse Bill 40
- Margaret Brown Vega, volunteer withAdvocate Visitors with Immigrants in Detention and People Over Private Prisons-New Mexico
- Justin Allen, Millions for Prisoners New Mexico
*****
This is part of our Your NM Government project, a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter. Support for public media (NMPBS and KUNM) provided by the Thornburg Foundation.
