What Was the Function of Spanish Pueblo Settlements in New Spain?

The premise contains a historical misconception. There were no "pueblo settlements established by the Spanish" in New Spain.

The term "pueblo" (Spanish for "town" or "village") in a North American colonial context specifically refers to the ancient, indigenous communal settlements of the Pueblo peoples in what is now the Southwestern U.S. (New Mexico, Arizona) and northern Mexico—such as Taos Pueblo, Acoma Pueblo, and Zuni Pueblo. These predate Spanish arrival by centuries.

The Spanish did establish missions, presidios (forts), and civilian towns (villas)—like Santa Fe (1610) and Albuquerque (1706)—but they did not create "pueblo settlements." Instead, they encountered, often disrupted, and sometimes built adjacent to existing Pueblo communities.