Lutheran Advocacy Ministry - NM is called to advocate for justice in public policy with a particular emphasis on alleviating poverty and hunger and supporting ELCA members and congregations, as well as our ecumenical and interfaith partners in the ministry of advocacy.

January 31, 2025

Dear Partners in Advocacy,

As I am sure you are aware, President Trump issued a flurry of Executive Orders within hours of his inauguration. A number directly impact immigrants - those seeking asylum, migrant workers, and other undocumented people living within our nation's borders. The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Elizabeth Eaton, has issued a statement regarding these immigration orders this week. I invite you to read that statement HERE.

 "God calls us to welcome the stranger and love the sojourner as we love ourselves. I pray for God’s grace to increase understanding of and mercy toward immigrants in these days."

These developments make this Monday, February 3rd, all the more important. Monday marks the Immigrants and Workers' Day of Action. (See below for complete details.) I hope you will join me and others from many organizations, including LAM-NM, as we learn, march, rally, and advocate on the issues with our legislators. A key component of that day includes advocacy for the Immigrant Safety Act. There will be more work as well, concerning the Border Servant Corps, so please stay tuned!

I am aware of other statements and information put out by our denominational partners. For the many non-Lutherans engaged in our ministry, I encourage you to follow those as well from your specific denomination.

Turning from immigration to hunger, I want to highlight another important event that takes place in early February. Bread for the World was started 50 years ago by Lutheran Pastor, Art Simon, and is now led by the Rev. Eugene Cho. Bread focuses on both hunger in the U.S. but also hunger around the world. Indeed, I know many of you have supported Bread for the World letter campaigns in your congregations. Bread is now launching a new initiative, Nourish Our Future. I encourage you to join an upcoming webinar if you would like to support this new advocacy effort. The webinar takes place on February 4th, beginning at 5 p.m. MT. You can register to participate HERE.

A highlight of this week was the Paid Medical Family Leave Day. There was a great turnout from many organizations and individuals supporting the passage of PMFL legislation this year and participants visited legislator's offices and held a rally in the Rotunda. I've included a few pictures.

Registrations for our annual Issue Briefing and Bishop's Luncheon are coming at a good pace. There's still plenty of time to join us!

As we move through the coming weeks I look forward to your support through awareness, direct participation, and in your prayers. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need more information or have any questions about our work during the 2025 session.

Kurt

Kurt Rager

Director, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry - New Mexico

"...And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

Micah 6:8

Rep. Linda Serrato

Senator Harold Pope

Sen. Mimi Stewart

2025 Advocacy Agenda

The LAM-NM 2025 Advocacy Agenda was recently adopted by our Policy Committee. To download a copy of the agenda, please go HERE!

Key Areas of Focus:

Hunger

Affordable Housing & Homelessness

Family-Sustaining Income

Health Care

Tax Policy

Criminal Justice

Care of Creation

Good Governance

2025 Legislative Advocacy Days

LAM-NM is planning a day each week for you to join Kurt and other volunteer LAM-NM advocates to work the Round House by lobbying legislators and potentially offering public comment during committee meetings on priority bills for our advocacy agenda. You are also invited to come and watch the process and activity of our state's legislature. There is much to keep you busy!

Please join us one (or more times) on the four consecutive Tuesdays of February 25th, March 4th, 11th, and 18th.

The day before each Advocacy Day, you will receive an email with parking locations and the location to meet.

If you are not able to make one of the scheduled days but want to join in in-person advocacy, please email Kurt for other possible days to meet at the Roundhouse.

Let your voice be heard!

Additional Special Days!

You are invited to participate with some of our key partner organizations and coalitions on their special days of emphasis:

* February 3rd: Immigrant and Worker's Day of Action (see below)

* February 11th: Legislative Modernization Day

* February 13th: Disability Rights Day

* February 13th: NM Coalition to End Homelessness Advocacy Day - (Register HERE!)

* February 21st: Hunger Action Day (Register HERE!)



Join Kurt and others from LAM-NM for this important day of advocacy. The Immigrant Safety Act replaced what was known as "Dignity Not Detention" last session. In short, the bill would prohibit New Mexico from entering into agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain people in civil immigration custody. In addition, it would cancel all existing contracts. The bill will be introduced soon so watch future Action Alerts for more information on its route at that time.

The new administration has pulled out of the Paris Agreement by executive order. Join creation justice advocates who have taken part in COP29 from our Lutheran community for updates and next steps for all of us who want to promote climate solutions.

How to Access the Legislature

Both House and Senate committee meetings will always be accessible via a webcast, as will all Floor Sessions. A broadcast link is included below. For those who want to provide public comment virtually, and not drive to Santa Fe, you will be able to participate via Zoom. You can provide public testimony by using a Zoom link that each committee will publish with their agendas. Rules will vary from committee to committee, as will the posting of agendas, so it's important to plan ahead. Some committees do require that you sign up the day before or before the start of the meeting if you want to speak.

As the session progresses, please continue to watch for and respond to ACTION ALERT emails that LAM-NM will send. Action Alerts will be targeted toward specific LAM-NM priority legislation, will provide information about the bill and why we support or oppose it, and will "ask" for action from you to contact your legislators. In addition, an updated summary email with additional news and events will also be sent each week of the session.

To find out what's happening each day, follow this link HERE.

To watch committee hearings and floor sessions live, follow this link HERE. Recordings of all committee meetings and floor sessions are also available.

To find and track legislation that has been introduced, follow this link HERE.

To find contact information about your representative or senator, follow this link HERE.

To access the Home Page of the NM Legislature, follow this link HERE.

Advocating Congregations

St. Paul Lutheran (Alb.) * First Presbyterian (Santa Fe) * Bethlehem Lutheran (Los Alamos) * St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal (Alb.) * All Saints Lutheran (Alb.) *

St. Luke Lutheran (Alb.) * Peace Lutheran (Las Cruces) * Christ Lutheran (Santa Fe) * St. Timothy Lutheran (Alb.) * St. Andrew Presbyterian (Alb.) * Albuquerque Mennonite Church (Alb.) * First Presbyterian (Las Vegas) * Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal (Edgewood) * Monte Vista Christian (Abq.) * United Methodist Women of New Mexico

Learn more about joining the Advocating Congregation Program HERE!

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM works in advocacy partnerships with the NM Conference of Churches and the Presbytery of Santa Fe.

Connecting faith and public life: We believe that we are freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. God uses our hands, through our direct service work and our voices, through our advocacy efforts, to restore and reconcile our world. Through faithful advocacy, the ELCA lives out our Lutheran belief that governments can help advance the common good.