OPINION: Keep Local Police Focused on Crime, Not Immigration

Alex Flores, Senior Counsel at Singleton Schreiber, was featured by the Albuquerque Journal in an article titled “OPINION: Keep Local Police Focused on Crime, Not Immigration,” published on February 4, 2026.

In the opinion piece, Flores draws on his experience as a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico to talk about the role of local law enforcement in public safety. He shares his background in prosecuting federal felony cases and co-leading the Indian Country Crimes Section, and explains how this shapes his views on the boundaries between local policing and federal immigration enforcement.

The article focuses on New Mexico House Bill 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, especially the parts that ban 287(g) agreements between local police and federal immigration authorities. Flores explains the legal and constitutional concerns with these agreements, such as risks to community trust, police effectiveness, and following constitutional standards. He also discusses why this issue is especially important given current federal immigration enforcement practices.