Research Note
Researched
Curry County NM — Only 287(g) in the State, Forced to Terminate by Law
Curry County signed the only 287(g) agreement in New Mexico in May 2025. Then the legislature passed the Immigrant Safety Act (HB 9), signed by Governor Lujan Grisham, banning local ICE detention contracts, 287(g) agreements, and use of public land for immigration detention. Effective May 20, 2026 — Curry County must terminate.
The sheriff publicly decried the law. The legislature considered a $10.5M compensation bill for counties losing ICE detention revenue (Torrance, Cibola, Otero) — revealing how dependent rural NM counties have become on detention.