The United States is in very uncertain times for immigrants and people of color regardless of immigration status. But in New Mexico, these communities have had a couple big moments of joy over the past week.
On February 5, House Bill 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, was signed into law. This prevents governments in New Mexico from entering into contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain people in the state. Although it does not prevent private companies from doing so, like Core Civic, which operates facilities in Torrance and Cibola counties.
Fernanda Banda, co-executive director for New Mexico Dream Team, has been working on this legislation for over a decade.
“This has been a huge win for our communities given the current administration,” Banda said.
Banda refers to the large immigration crackdown happening under the Trump administration across the country, particularly the violence being used to separate families in America.
Brenda Vara is the legislative fellow for the Dream Team and heads its chapter at the University of New Mexico. As a daughter of immigrants, she was brought to tears by HB 9’s passing.
“We're a diverse state with a lot of cultures, and being able to pass the Immigrant Safety Act really shows that we're able to come together for all of the community, no matter immigrant status,” Vara said.
This past Sunday brought more widespread joy to many immigrant communities when Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny became the first Super Bowl halftime artist to perform almost entirely in Spanish. Vara said it was a bold and empowering move in a time when people are being profiled for speaking languages other than English.
“I think it means a lot to be able to see we have a place in this country and we're able to use our voices to advocate and I think behind his performance, he had such a strong message,” Vara said.
At the end of his performance, the words “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” appeared on the big screen behind him.
“When there’s so much hate in the world, I think being able to show love is stronger than what we see really allows community to be built and have people rely on each other,” Vara said.
Bad Bunny’s performance sought to redefine what it means to be American, ending his performance by saying “God Bless America” and naming every country in the Americas, from South to North.
The halftime show was a celebration of joy and Latino pride for many, including Banda.
“Joy is resistance, and part of celebrating, a lot of what we're the work that we're doing is to also be able to relish in it and say ‘Wow, this is work that we have been fighting for’,” Banda said.
The full Bad Bunny Super Bowl 60 halftime show can be watched here.
