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Attorney General
Raúl Torrez
Attorneys General & Land Grant-Merced and Acequia Historical Gallery and Repository
New Mexico is unique due in large part to its deep-rooted cultural traditions. Spanish and Mexican land grant-mercedes were established by grants of land made to both communities and individuals by the Spanish Crown or Mexican Government to encourage settlements in periods of New Mexico’s history. Acequias in the State of New Mexico are some of the oldest water management institutions in the United States and are integral to the New Mexican environment. These communities have historically carried the responsibility of maintaining these lands for traditional uses necessary for their survival.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo pledged that “property of every kind” would be “inviolably respected” by the United States. Article VIII, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The New Mexico Constitution reaffirms the cultural diversity of the state with a guarantee of additional rights.
“The rights, privileges and immunities, civil, political and religious guaranteed to the people of New Mexico by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo shall be preserved inviolate.” N.M. Const. Art II, Sec. 5. As the Attorney General, we have a special duty to protect the rights New Mexico’s traditional communities, and it has been a priority to address situations that threaten our land-based and most vulnerable communities’ way of life.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Division
The Division works with the land grant council to identify legal assistance for land grants-mercedes that are political subdivisions of the State under §49 NMSA 1978 and reviews and responds to election contests filed with the treaty division in accordance with §49-1-7 NMSA 1978. Additionally, a top priority of the Treaty Division is to continue the development and building of the Office of the Attorneys General Land Grant-Merced and Acequía Historical Gallery & Repository.
Please use the following bullet points for each link to respective sites.
New Mexico Land Grant Mercedes Platform of Information

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (text)
TREATY OF PEACE, FRIENDSHIP, LIMITS, AND SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES


2017 Adverse Possession
Adverse possession is a method of acquiring title to real property by taking possession of a piece of property, and maintaining possession of it for a certain number of years without being sued or excluded by the owner.

2018 Brief Land Grant-Merced History and Current Legislation NM Land Grant Council - July 2018
Background on H.R. 6487 –
Land Grant and Acequia Traditional Use Recognition Act – This Act is intended to provide for the recognition of traditional uses, on federally managed lands.


2020 NMLGC Annual Report
Land Grants-Mercedes continue to be actively focused on regaining their common land, preserving their history, cultural and traditions and improving their communities through socioeconomic development and stewardship of their surrounding natural environment.

TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO Definitions
Definition and List of
Community Land
Grants in New Mexico

TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO Findings
Findings and Possible
Options Regarding
Longstanding
Community Land
Grant Claims in New
Mexico




1978 Land Grant Problems & Heritage
Land Grant Problems in the Southwest:
The Spanish
&
Mexican Heritage


2017 Bill 115 Congress Session
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 19, 2017
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
HR4688
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make land grants-mercedes eligible for assistance, and for other purposes.

2021 EntreLaHistoria y la Ley, Land Grant History and the Law
A University of New Mexico presentation
Goals of this presentation
• Identify issues from early history still relevant today
• Emphasis will be on community land grants
• Focus not just on adjudication history but also historical
reasons that support current views of injustice
• Survey of activities of existing land grants & institutions
• Identify relevant documentary sources and cases
• Some of that material available to you in digital form

2021 New Mexico Constitution
AS ADOPTED JANUARY 21, 1911,
AND AS SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED
BY THE PEOPLE IN GENERAL AND
SPECIAL ELECTIONS
1911 THROUGH 2021
Maggie Toulouse Oliver
Secretary of State

