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New Mexico Sanctuary Defense Committee Collection,

 Collection
Identifier: 1988-054

Scope and Content

Collection consists of materials relating to the New Mexico Sanctuary movement in general, and the Sanctuary Defense Committees involvement in the trial of Glen Remer-Thamert and Demetria Martinez. Includes pleadings, minutes, trial information, letters of support, newspaper clippings, newsletters, publicity and promotional materials, articles on Sanctuary, four black and white photographs of the defendants, and two VHS videocassettes of trial coverage by Channel 13 News of Albuquerque.

Dates

  • 1986-1988

Language of Materials

English.

Access Restrictions

None

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Historical Note

The New Mexico Sanctuary Defense Committee was formed in 1987 to provide for the legal defense of Lutheran minister and Sanctuary movement activist Glen Remer-Thamert, and to educate the American public about the Sanctuary movement and U.S. immigration policies. Remer-Thamert was indicted along with Demetria Martinez, free lance writer for the Albuquerque Journal, in U.S. district court of New Mexico on charges of violating U.S. immigration laws by assisting two pregnant Salvadoran women seeking refuge in the United States. Governor Toney Anaya on March 28, 1986 declared New Mexico as a Sanctuary state. The designation of a Sanctuary state was later rescinded by newly-elected Governor Carruthers on January 9, 1987. Governor Anayas proclamation was put to a legal test with U.S. vs. Remer-Thamert and Martinez. The trial focused both on the Sanctuary movement and First Amendment rights for reporters. This was the first time a reporter engaged in news gathering had been indicted in connection with Sanctuary activities. On August 2, 1988, the jury for the Sanctuary trial found the two defendants not guilty on all counts.

Extent

2 Linear Feet

Organization

Collection is organized into 10 series:
  1. I. U.S. vs. Glen Remer-Thamert and Demetria Martinez, Criminal Case #87-476
  2. II. New Mexico Sanctuary Defense Committee
  3. III. Trial information
  4. IV. Letters of support and endorsement
  5. V. Publicity and promotional materials
  6. VI. Fund raising materials
  7. VII. Bibliography and articles on Sanctuary
  8. VIII. Printed materials
  9. IX. Newsletters
  10. X. Videos

General

Contact Information

  1. New Mexico State Records Center and Archives
  2. Archives and Historical Services Division
  3. 1205 Camino Carlos Rey
  4. Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
  5. Phone: 505-476-7908
  6. Fax: 505-476-7909
  7. Email: archives@rain.state.nm.us
  8. URL: http://www.state.nm.us/cpr/ahsd_top.htm
Title
Inventory of the New Mexico Sanctuary Defense Committee Collection, 1986-1988
Status
Edited Full Draft
Author
Processed by Staff
Date
©2000
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is in English

Revision Statements

  • June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//New Mexico State Records Center and Archives//TEXT (US::Nm-Ar::1988-054::New Mexico Sanctuary Defense Committee Collection)//EN" "nmar1988-054.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
  • Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.

Repository Details

Part of the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives Repository

Contact:
1209 Camino Carlos Rey
Santa Fe NM 87507
(505) 476-7948