Native communities in New Mexico hope new Turquoise Alert System will facilitate the safe return of more missing members

New Mexico this week became the latest state to pass a law aimed at addressing an ongoing national crisis surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous people – particularly in unsolved cases involving women and girls.

New Mexico this week became the latest state to pass a law aimed at addressing an ongoing national crisis surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous people – particularly in unsolved cases involving women and girls. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday signed a bill creating the new Turquoise Alert System. It’s among a series of federal and state initiatives launched across the country in recent years to address an issue advocates and tribal leaders say has largely been ignored. Homicide is the No. 1 cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native females between the ages of 10 and 24 and the fifth-leading cause of death for 25- to 34-year-olds, according to US Rep. Mike Simpson, who last year wrote an op-ed highlighting how Indigenous women and girls are murdered at a disproportionate rate. Nationally, 40% of all victims of sex trafficking are identified as American Indian and Alaska Native women. In 2023 alone, over 5,800 American Indian and Alaska Native females were reported missing, 74% of whom were children, according to data provided by the Idaho Republican – who chairs the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee. “We have witnessed firsthand the devastation of delayed responses in cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives … and this law gives us the tools to ensure that no more families experience this unnecessary heartache,” Tiffany Jiron, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women, said in a statement after the passage of the New Mexico legislation. “Today’s victory is a testament to the power of advocacy, resilience, and the unwavering determination of Native communities to stand up for their rights and their loved ones,” wrote Jiron.