Immigrant families and advocacy groups marched at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Monday as a part of what was called the Immigrant and Workers Day of Action.
Organizers said 1,300 people gathered from around the state to rally for stronger protections for immigrants. It was a morning full of speeches, live music and chants.
Ytzel Cano drove five hours from Las Cruces to join the protest. She’s a citizen, but said she has been harassed by Border Patrol
“I'm a citizen, so it's not about who is documented or not, it's just hate,” she said.
She said being at the protest gives her hope and strength.
“I mean, there's so much fear that's intentional to spread to our communities,” she said. “And you know, the fact that we're here, we're fearless and we're never gonna give up, just speaks to how powerful our immigrant communities are.”
Jessica Martinez is an attorney with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. She said it’s important for people to know their rights, something her organization has been working to educate people about.
“Being equipped with that knowledge so that they don't have that fear, so that they know what they can and cannot, you know, do as a community to protect themselves,” she said.
The rally was organized by her group and others, including Somos Acción, the ACLU, and Santa Fe Dreamers Project.
“Collective power is what changes things,” said Martinez. “Passing these laws to ensure that our community is protected against law enforcement’s collaboration with ICE to ensure that's really what public safety is about, is protecting our community.”
Rep. Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe) spoke at the rally and said the legislature is working on bills to provide protections.
“Our families are being persecuted and tormented and torn apart under the Trump administration. It is monstrous,” she said.
One bill would make higher education programs available to people regardless of legal status. Another would amend laws prohibiting disclosure of sensitive personal information by state employees to include immigration status.
However, there’s a Senate bill to require state and local governments to cooperate with enforcement of federal immigration law. And the Senate Republican Caucus on Friday announced a tip line for sharing information about violent people without legal status here. It can also be used to report any, quote “instances of unfounded action by federal officials.”

Cano said President Trump should be ashamed of taking advantage of people.
“There's many people who are disappointed in what they thought he was going to do,” she said.
New Mexico went for Kamala Harris in the election, but Trump gained support in nearly all counties.
Support from the coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.