New Mexico Task Force Urges State MMIP Office
The New Mexico Department of Justice's MMIP Task Force told lawmakers a state-level office could help address missing and murdered Indigenous persons.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Native American
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The New Mexico Department of Justice's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force testified Thursday, November 12, in Santa Fe before the interim Indian Affairs Committee, where many members advocated for a state-level MMIP office. The hearing was held at the Santa Fe Indian School.
Why it matters
Task force members said the group recognizes it needs additional expertise and guidance to determine how such an office should be structured. Sen. Shannon Pinto said efforts to find missing and murdered Indigenous people often prove difficult because jurisdiction has always been the conundrum.
No hard figures were reported in the extraction. The proposal's structure and funding remain undefined, and lawmakers have not yet acted on it.
The players
New Mexico Department of Justice MMIP Task Force
A state task force created in early 2024 within the Department of Justice to address cases of missing and murdered Indigenous persons across New Mexico.
Shannon Pinto
A New Mexico state senator who has spoken on the difficulty of jurisdiction in searches for missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Raúl Torrez
New Mexico's Attorney General, who created the MMIP task force within the Department of Justice in early 2024.
Michelle Lujan Grisham
New Mexico's governor, who scrapped the state Indian Affairs Department's MMIP task force in 2023.
The details
The task force said it hopes to make more progress with state agency heads between the governor-elect's inauguration and the start of the legislative session. Lawmakers may consider a proposal to create a state-level MMIP office in the upcoming legislative session, which would come during Deb Haaland's first term as governor.
Timeline
Thursday, November 12, 2026: Task force testifies before the interim Indian Affairs Committee in Santa Fe.
2023: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham scraps the state Indian Affairs Department's MMIP task force.
Early 2024: Attorney General Raúl Torrez creates an MMIP task force within the Department of Justice.
June: Haaland's Democratic gubernatorial primary election.
Culture Shift
The proposal extends the federal Missing and Murdered Unit Deb Haaland established at the Bureau of Indian Affairs down to the state level, now that Haaland is set to become New Mexico's governor. Lawmakers would be weighing whether a dedicated state office can resolve the jurisdictional gaps that have hampered past efforts.
Residents of New Mexico, particularly Indigenous families with relatives who have gone missing, could see a dedicated state office created if lawmakers take up the proposal. Any such office would change where families turn for help in searches and investigations.
The takeaway
Dedicated state structures for missing and murdered Indigenous persons cases are being debated as a way to address jurisdictional gaps that complicate investigations. Readers following the issue can track whether lawmakers take up the proposal in the upcoming legislative session.
Further reading
Explore more on Native American cultural issues affecting New Mexico communities.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ICT.
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