News Release
New Mexico Indian Affairs Department
The Indian Affairs Department (IAD) presented its FY24 budget request to the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee on Tuesday, maintaining its budget in order to continue serving New Mexico’s nations, tribes, and pueblos (NTP).
“The Indian Affairs Department’s steadfast efforts to meet the state’s obligations to our tribal communities are more vital than ever,” said Indian Affairs Department Cabinet Secretary Lynn Trujillo. “We are grateful to Governor Lujan Grisham and the Legislature for their assistance in supporting IAD to meet the needs of New Mexico Indigenous communities and people.”
- Led the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) Task Force to address this crisis in Indian Country and produced the state’s first ever State Response Plan.
- Elevated the Native American youth perspective in New Mexico through the Indigenous Youth Council (IYC), drastically enhancing young people’s holistic wellness via cultural and behavioral health support.
- Established a tribal water work group to provide feedback on the 50-year water plan.
- Administered historic investments in tribal communities through Tribal Infrastructure Fund (TIF) and Capital Outlay funding.
The FY24 budget request represents no major increases from the previous year. The department remains focused on recruiting and retaining highly qualified staff to meet the increasing needs and challenges of tribal communities across the state. This includes hiring new full-time employees who will help to manage IAD’s growing portfolio of programs and services offered to NTPs. To increase capacity, the Department continues to leverage outside partnerships.
“I’m proud of our department and our dedicated staff for answering the call to lead and support on various new projects this year, ensuring that New Mexico’s nations, tribes, and pueblos are not left behind. The Indian Affairs Department will continue to expand and lead, while remaining committed to our core values of service, respect, and community,” added Secretary Trujillo.
Agency budget requests are submitted with direction from the Governor’s Office for data-driven strategic spending while maintaining healthy reserve funds, a strong bond rating, and fiscally responsible management. The budget presented today represents the first step in the budgetary process. One-time or “special” appropriations will be requested later this month, and additional adjustments will be made before the executive budget is submitted in January 2023.
About New Mexico Indian Affairs Department
Since 2003 the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department (IAD) has implemented groundbreaking state-tribal policies intended to improve the quality of life for the state’s Native citizens. Our initiatives are designed to strengthen tribal and state relations and address the challenges we face in our communities; challenges such as economic development, infrastructure improvement, the protection of our cultures and languages, health care accessibility, and educational opportunities for our most precious resource — our children. Learn more at www.iad.state.nm.us.
