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Hospitals, schools, courthouses, churches and worksites will be off-limits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents without warrants in Bernalillo County thanks to an ordinance approved by the County Commission on Tuesday.

The , which passed on a 4-1 vote, reinstates a former President Joe Biden-era policy that prohibited immigration enforcement activities in 鈥渟ensitive鈥� locations, like schools and places of worship. Within the first few days of his second term, President Donald Trump revoked that policy, with the Department of Homeland Security that 鈥渃riminals鈥� were taking advantage of it.

In the months since that policy鈥檚 repeal, videos of immigration raids at worksites and courthouses across the nation have sparked outrage online and, in some cities, protests.

The commission meeting drew attendance and public comment from both immigrants and their families as well as leadership from many of the newly designated safe spaces, including churches, schools and businesses.

The new ordinance also requires employers to alert staff if their employment paperwork, such as I-9s, is audited by the federal government. The same applies if business owners are notified that an immigration enforcement agent will be present on-site.

The county will develop formalized policies and resources for businesses within the next 90 days to ensure compliance, according to the ordinance.

ICE declined to comment and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for a statement Wednesday.

鈥淚magine the fear we experience every day when we leave our homes, thinking we could be separated from our children and nobody will know where we are,鈥� Mirna Lazcano, who immigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico, said in Spanish during the meeting.

Her daughter, Ashley Le贸n, stood by her side translating her words to English for the commissioners.

Lazcano was joined by dozens of members of El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos, an advocacy group for workers and immigrants. The group packed the chambers in support of the ordinance, filling it with turquoise T-shirts and banners, as well as stories of mounting anxiety about immigration raids.

Others in support of the ordinance included leadership from the Catholic Church.

Churches have long been sites of sanctuary from persecution, said Bernadette Zamora, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

鈥淔or generations, our church has walked with families seeking safety, stability and the chance to build a better life,鈥� Zamora said 鈥�...The Church teaches that we are one family, regardless of national origin, and we are called to respond with compassion and justice.鈥�

The ordinance wasn鈥檛 without its critics.

Commissioner Walt Benson, who voted no, and a handful of speakers, said the ordinance would spark 鈥渓awlessness.鈥�

鈥淭here are criminals hiding behind these laws, you know it,鈥� Benson said to the audience. 鈥淵ou know them, you know people who have been abused, people who have been trafficked, you know drug dealers.鈥�

Benson also said that the ordinance will be burdensome to both businesses and law enforcement.

Three of the four commissioners who voted yes, including sponsors Adriann Barboa and Barbara Baca, adamantly rebuked Benson鈥檚 statements, with Barboa calling them 鈥渄isappointing.鈥�

Commission Chair Eric Olivas said the ordinance will not inhibit law enforcement, stating the law compels ICE to abide by the preexisting constitutionally guaranteed due process of the law.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 laughable that the party of law and order is breaking the highest law of the land,鈥� Olivas said in response to Benson.

The new policy also requires businesses within county limits to post signage marking the public and private sections of their businesses.

Fabiola Landeros, an organizer with El Centro, said that ICE relies on 鈥渆xcuses鈥� when making arrests in private areas of businesses without warrants.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the excuse now?鈥� Landeros said.

After the gavel slammed and the ordinance formally became law, the room erupted in applause and cries of 鈥渢hank you.鈥�