Bill Would Stop Racial Profiling, Senator Says

From KOAT-TV.com - A state senator from Española said he wants to make sure law enforcement officers are not racially profiling Hispanics. He is introducing a proposal that would prevent police from arresting someone solely for being an illegal immigrant. "It's a bill that protects people's civil rights. I wouldn't want to be charged and stopped and detained because I look Hispanic," Sen. Richard Martinez, D- Española, said. Martinez said New Mexico needs a law to make sure that police don't racially profile anyone. Senator Martinez said a similar bill passed both houses a few years ago but was never signed by former Gov. Bill Richardson. With a new administration in Santa Fe, Martinez said he wants to send a message to Gov. Susana Martinez. "Then (Richardson) issued an executive order on it. We decided we are going to run it again since (Martinez) is getting rid of the executive order," Martinez said. A spokesman for Gov. Martinez said she has not had a chance to look at the bill, but the governor opposes sanctuary laws for criminals: "The governor believes that any person who is arrested for a crime, regardless of race, should have their immigration status checked and those here illegally should be reported to ICE." Sen. Martinez said he thinks he has the votes to pass the bill. "If the individual is breaking the law, then you stop to investigate. If they are breaking the law, you stop him and cite him. But this is just so they won’t use it as probable cause because of the color of their skin." Read more

Bill Would Stop Racial Profiling, Senator Says