Native Journalists Demand Apology Over Haaland Cartoon
The Indigenous Journalists Association says the Albuquerque Journal's caricature of New Mexico Governor-elect Deb Haaland was offensive and inaccurate.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Native American
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The Indigenous Journalists Association condemned a political cartoon published in the Albuquerque Journal's November 8 edition depicting Governor-elect Deb Haaland with exaggerated Native features and a totem pole joke. The group is demanding a print and online apology and an explanation of how the cartoon passed editorial review.
Why it matters
The association argues the cartoon wrongly attributes a Northwest Coast cultural symbol to a Pueblo woman and turns her heritage into a punch line, a concern for the state's 23 federally recognized tribes. The episode also revives questions about editorial oversight after a prior cartoon controversy at the same paper.
The cartoon, drawn by the Journal's in-house cartoonist and run in the November 8, 2026 edition, uses a totem pole joke about Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna. Totem poles are sacred to Northwest Coast cultures rather than New Mexico's Pueblo communities.
The players
Indigenous Journalists Association
A national organization of Indigenous journalists that advocates for accurate and respectful coverage of Native communities in news media.
Albuquerque Journal
The largest daily newspaper in New Mexico, based in Albuquerque, which published the cartoon and has not yet responded to the criticism.
Deb Haaland
A citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna and New Mexico's governor-elect, who was the subject of the cartoon.
The details
The cartoon depicts Haaland with exaggerated Native features, including an oversized nose, and uses a totem pole reference to mock her. The Indigenous Journalists Association argues editors bear direct responsibility for approving the caricature and has called for newsroom training on covering Native American communities.
Timeline
February 2018: The Journal printed a syndicated cartoon portraying DACA immigrants as muggers and its editor apologized.
Sunday, November 8, 2026: The Journal published the cartoon depicting Deb Haaland.
This week (November 2026): The Journal had not publicly responded to apology demands.
Culture Shift
The Journal's 2026 cartoon repeats the pattern of its February 2018 syndicated DACA cartoon, which its editor apologized for, raising questions about whether editorial review has improved since. It also reflects a broader push by Indigenous journalists to hold New Mexico newsrooms accountable for caricature of Native people.
New Mexico readers who follow the Albuquerque Journal may want to watch whether the paper issues the apology and explanation the Indigenous Journalists Association is requesting. Readers can judge for themselves how the paper handles editorial review of cartoons depicting Native people.
The takeaway
Editorial cartoons carry the same accuracy obligations as news copy, and newsroom review of caricatures of Native people is a standard readers can ask their local papers to meet. Watching whether the Journal responds publicly is a practical way to gauge how seriously it takes the complaint.
Further reading
For more on Indigenous communities across the state, explore Native American coverage from New Mexico.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New Mexico Political Report.
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