Las Cruces mulls changing street name with a derogatory term

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — The city of Las Cruces is considering whether to change a street name that contains a word that’s used as a slur toward Indigenous women.

Las Cruces Sun-News reports that City Councilor Johana Bencomo recently proposed to change the name of Squaw Mountain Drive.

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland formally declared “squaw” a derogatory term and said she was taking steps to remove it from federal government use and to replace other derogatory place names.

Bencomo raised the issue of the street name during a council discussion earlier in November.