Josett Monette

Native American students in New Mexico will be able to wear their tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies this spring after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill into law on Wednesday.

A bill that would prohibit school boards from banning tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies unanimously passed its first committee on Tuesday. The bill stems from an incident that happened last May in Farmington, NM. A Native American high school graduate was told to remove their embellished graduation cap that had an eagle plume and beads.

Since President Trump issued numerous executive orders last month related to immigration enforcement, some Native American communities have raised concerns over the safety of tribal members, with reports of some being detained and being misidentified as immigrants.

The public won’t be allowed to make comments at a state-run meeting this week about a crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state budget Wednesday which included $200,000 to address the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives. But advocates are saying it’s not enough.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday that Indian Affairs cabinet secretary James Mountain is leaving his post less than a year into the job to take on a new role as a policy advisor.