Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller in September 2021. As President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office again, Keller is planning to defend Albuquerque’s “sanctuary city” status against renewed federal challenges. (Photo by Sharon Chischilly for Source NM)
President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations as he takes office again in January. The City of Albuquerque has a law on the books that would prevent the local government and law enforcement from participating. But Mayor Tim Keller is steeling himself to take on renewed federal challenges to the so-called “sanctuary city” status.
Keller describes himself as “an obvious Democrat,” even if his office is technically non-partisan. He told KUNM he is “very concerned” about the incoming Trump administration.
“I’ve seen the Trump show before and, more than most cities, we are prepared and I am prepared to stand up for the City of Albuquerque,” he said.
He said he is committed to the city maintaining local control. That includes defending the Immigrant-Friendly Policy passed in 2018 against Trump’s immigration agenda.
Among other things, the law prevents the city from questioning or disclosing a person’s immigration status or using its resources to enforce federal immigration law, including detention.
The Pew Research Center estimates that, in 2016, around 25,000 undocumented immigrants were living in Albuquerque out of the approximately 60,000 believed to be in New Mexico. The organization estimates a similar number of unauthorized immigrants were in the U.S. in 2016 as 2022, its most recent comprehensive data.
Last time Trump was in the White House, city officials in 2020 accused the federal government of threatening to withhold public safety funding because of the policy.
“Trump tried to essentially bribe or bully us with federal grant money,” Keller said. “And so, we’re aware of those tricks. And I think we’re definitely going to be able to stand our ground in Albuquerque.”
Last time, the funds were eventually released. Keller said this time his tactics will include telling the public what the feds are up to and continuing to apply for federal funding with a disclaimer that the city won’t be breaking its own law to qualify for it.
“And the third thing is we’re going to ask for help from the state and from the county,” he said. “And so, if there are funds that end up not being released, we’re going to say that part of standing together means helping each other with funding.”
City council’s ‘sanctuary city’ debate
The sanctuary city status has also faced challenges from within Albuquerque’s city council. Over the summer, conservative councilors Brook Bassan and Renée Grout proposed amending the policy to allow for cooperation with federal authorities in cases where people are accused of violent felonies, or human or drug trafficking. It narrowly failed on a 4-5 vote. Progressive Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn was among those who voted it down.
“That proposal was fear mongering at its best,” Fiebelkorn told KUNM. “There is already in place plenty of legislation and policies that say that, ‘If you live in Albuquerque, no matter where you’re from, if you are breaking our laws there will be ramifications for that.’ There is no reason to single out one part of our community as criminals that have to have special policies against them.”
She insisted any future efforts to weaken the policy will not survive either, even after the expected shift in federal policy.
“I think it would be a foolish thing to try in the City of Albuquerque,” she said. “I think, just earlier this year, we showed that we will always overcome any kind of proposals that are meant to demonize or harm our undocumented neighbors.”
Trump recently posted on his social media platform Truth Social that it is true he plans to declare a national emergency to use military assets to carry out mass deportations. Fiebelkorn said she thinks that would be easier said than done in Albuquerque.
“That is an alarming thought. And all I can say is that any kind of action like that in our city would be met with pretty substantial push back,” she said. “Quite frankly, protest against [it] would be very huge. And I would be out there with everyone else.”
While the amendment failed, conservatives hold a majority on the city council. That includes Council President Dan Lewis. Though, he took issue with that characterization of the council, since the seats are technically non-partisan.
“I’d [say] the majority of the council has a lot of common sense,” he said.
He pushed back on Fiebelkorn’s assessment of the reform effort.
“How is acknowledging that there is a public safety benefit of cooperation ‘fear mongering?’ I mean, that was simply the amendment,” he said. “And I think it’s good policy.”
While not planning on proposing another policy change himself, Lewis said he would support one.
How much agency does the city have?
Lewis said it is “not likely” that the federal government will withhold funds because the city maintains its policy as is, since doing so would be unconstitutional. Still, he said, having “an idiot mayor that makes statements like he’s made? I don’t think it’s helpful.”
He declined to answer whether he would be in favor of the federal government sending the military in to assist with local deportations, saying he did not believe his stance on the matter was “relevant.”
“Well, I mean, I don’t need to support or take a stand against that,” he said. “You know, I’m a city councilor. A city councilor, and even a mayor, doesn’t have the ability to prohibit something in that regard.”
Mayor Keller said his administration’s resistance worked last time and it would be willing to do everything it can again, including “making legal fights.”
“That would be a very difficult situation,” he said. “And I’m not sure what else a mayor could do, but I’d be open to it.”
Keller may not be alone in challenging new federal immigration policies. In cities like Denver and Boston, mayors have also promised to keep protecting immigrants.