New Mexico's most populous border county has joined a movement prohibiting local officials from going out of their way to enforce federal immigration laws.
Dona Ana commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to make their area a "safe county" and restrict county employees from asking residents about immigration status.
The move comes after commissioners received a petition in February with 10,000 signatures.
The resolution calls for county departments and employees not to enforce federal immigration laws unless required by federal and state statues.
Counties across the nation have passed similar measures following a federal court ruling in April. The court ruled a woman's constitutional rights were violated after Oregon authorities kept her beyond her release date so she could be transferred to immigration agents.
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