ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Trump administration is making good on it’s promise to cut what it says is wasteful government spending.

Government workers, including New Mexicans, have been fired, laid off or furloughed. Organizations and programs have seen their funding slashed or frozen. 

“It’s because of that funding that we can represent children regardless of their immigration matter,” said Andres Santiago, an attorney for the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. 

The New Mexico Immigrant Law Center provides legal representation for unaccompanied migrant children, meaning they are in the U.S. without a parent or guardian while their cases go through the U.S. court system. 

“We have some kids as young as 3 to 4 years old. So to expect a 4-year-old to be in immigration court or to navigate the immigration office for a humanitarian visa is honestly unconscionable,” said Santiago. 

That was almost the reality. On Tuesday, the Immigrant Law Center was informed funding for this program would be cut. Then, on late Friday, Santiago says they received word that funding would be restored. 

“For the few days that it was cancelled, we had to push new clients that were identified as unaccompanied minors into March,” Santiago said. 

Rep. Melanie Stansbury says this whiplash and chaos puts an emotional and mental strain on New Mexicans. 

“There are literally thousands of New Mexicans that don’t know what is going to happen. Whether they are going to lose their jobs, a freeze on funding for the program they work for,” said Stansbury. 

She says these cuts are hurting families and places blame with the president and Elon Musk.

“We can agree to disagree, but we cannot allow an unelected billionaire and Donald Trump and his Republican enablers to continue to terrorize the American people,” said Stansbury.

Republican Party Chair Amy Barela favors the cuts, telling us in part:

“With President Trump’s proposed tax cuts and regulatory relief, these efforts will spark job growth and draw new private sector industries to our state.”