by Danielle Prokop for Source NM
Pueblo of Acoma residents and leaders on Thursday evening pressed Democratic federal and state officials to rebuff the Trump administration on immigration and elections, while seeking support to address housing and other issues close to home.
In a town hall at the Acoma Pueblo Amphitheater, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, whose 2nd Congressional District spans New Mexico’s southern border and up the state’s western flank, joined state Rep. Michelle Pauline Abeyta of Tohajiilee and Acoma Gov. Charles Riley to address residents’ questions.
Vasquez and Abeyta, who both are campaigning for reelection this year, told the approximate 50 attendees they were committed to representing tribal communities’ interests.
Vasquez said if Democrats win back a majority in the U.S. House in the midterms, “there is hope” for legislation he has introduced to provide housing grants and offer federal benefits for tribal teachers.
“Our priorities are going to be very different than the current priorities that currently exist in which I believe much of Indian country is left as an afterthought,” Vasquez said. “That’s unacceptable.”
Vasquez also offered resources to help applicants to the newly extended Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, to provide lump-sum payments for diseases caused by exposure to radiation from atomic tests or uranium mining.
Abeyta updated attendees about recent laws passed by the state Legislature, such as one establishing free universal childcare. She said improvements to tribal infrastructure, recruitment of rural health providers and establishing affordable solar programs would be the topics of upcoming interim sessions with lawmakers this summer.
The town halls, she noted, offer the chance to address long-standing issues, such as inadequate access to health care, rising costs and push new policies.
“Continue to raise the issues. If you have ideas or solutions, we need to hear them — not only because we’re your voice up there, but we’re the ones working together to make sure it’ll get resolved,” she said.
While the town hall format encouraged residents to ask questions about topics close to home, such as RECA, health care and housing, big-picture concerns about citizenship and elections also emerged.
The recent Supreme Court hearings on President Donald Trump’s executive order to overturn the constitutional right to birthright citizenship “raised alarms” for how it would affect Pueblos, which predate the creation of the United States, Riley said.
“We would be more than happy to try and rally whatever you may need to ensure our birthright citizenship stays in place,” Riley told Vasquez, urging him to “follow up” on the issue.
Attendees also asked about federal legislation pushed by President Donald Trump that would require voters to show photo identification to participate in elections.
Vasquez sought to reassure the crowd that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act —the SAVE Act — faces long odds, citing bipartisan opposition to the bill in the U.S. Senate.
“Aside from being what I believe is unconstitutional and limiting our access to the polls, it would likely be challenged in court immediately, even if it was passed,” Vasquez said.
Theresa Pasqual, who spent the town hall handwriting postcards to remind residents of important upcoming election dates, told Source NM that, “People are nervous. If the SAVE Act did have a path for passage, it would make voting even more challenging in rural communities like ours.”
by Danielle Prokop for Source NM