New Mexico's 22 Tribes and the Indian Affairs Department

New Mexico has 219,512 Indian citizens, which compose nearly 10.5% of the state's entire population. There are 22 Indian tribes in New Mexico - nineteen Pueblos, two Apache tribes (the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Mescalero Apache Tribe), and the Navajo Nation, and a considerable urban Indian population which is also served by the Indian Affairs Department. The 19 Pueblos are comprises of the Pueblos of Acoma, Taos, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, San Felipe, Jemez, Zuni, Zia, Nambe, Picuris, Ohkay Owingeh, Santo Domingo, Laguna, Isleta, Santa Ana, Sandia, Cochiti, and Pojoaque.

Each Tribe is a sovereign nation with its own government, life-ways, traditions, and culture. Each Tribe has a unique relationship with the federal and state governments.

The 22 Tribes in New Mexico are actively engaged to preserve their indigenous languages, religion, culture, the environment and for quality education and health care for all members, especially their youth and elders. Economic development as a means to achieve these goals is important to Tribal leadership as is homeland security and housing for their communities.

The Commission on Indian Affairs was created by statute in 1953 by the New Mexico State Legislature. The statute established a state agency, the Office of Indian Affairs (OIA), which would serve as a vehicle between the State's governor and legislature to the twenty-two separate and distinct tribal groups of New Mexico (and vice versa, from the tribal governments to state government). Former Governor Bill Richardson signed Order No. 2003-022 on June 20, 2003, elevating the OIA to the Indian Affairs Department (IAD), a cabinet-level department.

In April of 2004, House Bill 39 which formerly established the Indian Affairs Department by legislative statute, elevating the IAD from being a state agency to a State Department. By raising the status of IAD to a cabinet-level department, the Secretary of Indian Affairs has a voice at the table and the ear of the governor.