Politics

AG admits defeat, agrees to stop bullying Otero County over ICE facility

Leave a Comment / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

After months of aggressive legal threats and political pressure, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is backing down — at least for now — in his attempt to shut down immigration detention operations in Otero County.

In a major development, Torrez has agreed to halt enforcement of the state’s controversial and unconstitutional anti-ICE law, House Bill 9 (the “Immigrant Safety Act”), against the Otero County Processing Center while a federal lawsuit challenging the law moves forward.

The move comes after the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of New Mexico, arguing that HB9 is unconstitutional and interferes with federal immigration enforcement authority.

As part of a court-filed stipulation, Torrez and the state agreed they “will not bring any civil action… or take any other action to… require the termination” of Otero County’s ICE detention agreements until the case is fully resolved.

In exchange, federal officials agreed to withdraw their request for a preliminary injunction — a legal maneuver that could have immediately blocked enforcement of the law statewide.

The agreement marks a sharp reversal from Torrez’s earlier stance.

Just days before the federal lawsuit was filed, the attorney general had vowed to defend HB9, calling it a “constitutional exercise of state authority” and accusing the federal government of trying to override New Mexico’s policy decisions.

Now, however, enforcement of the law — at least in Otero County — is effectively on hold.

The climbdown follows a series of legal setbacks for the state.

In April, the fully Democrat-controlled New Mexico Supreme Court declined Torrez’s request to block Otero County’s extension of its ICE contract, allowing the facility to remain operational. Meanwhile, federal officials moved quickly to challenge the broader law in court, arguing it unlawfully disrupts long-standing cooperation between local governments and federal immigration authorities.

HB9, set to take effect May 20, would prohibit counties from entering into or renewing contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house detainees — a move supporters claimed would shut down New Mexico’s three immigration detention facilities.

That hasn’t happened.

Instead, federal authorities have worked around the law, securing direct contracts with private operators to keep facilities open — while the legal fight continues.

The Otero County Processing Center, which houses hundreds of illegal aliens and supports a significant number of local jobs, has become the focal point of the dispute.

County officials had warned that shutting down the facility would have severe economic consequences, particularly given outstanding bonds tied to the project.

Now, with the attorney general agreeing not to pursue enforcement, those concerns are temporarily off the table.

Torrez’s office insists the decision is purely strategic.

Officials say the agreement is a “short-term tactical” move designed to avoid a potentially damaging preliminary injunction ruling and to fast-track the case toward a final decision on the merits.

They also emphasize that the stipulation does not represent an admission that the law is invalid.

Still, the optics are clear.

After attempting to force compliance with HB9 and challenging local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, the state’s top law enforcement official is now stepping back — following direct legal action from the federal government.

The case now heads toward a broader constitutional showdown over whether states can restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

For now, one thing is certain: despite months of political messaging and legislative action, New Mexico’s ICE detention facilities remain open — and the state has, at least temporarily, backed off efforts to shut them down.

AG admits defeat, agrees to stop bullying Otero County over ICE facility Read More »

Report: under Trump, NM border crime prosecutions more than double

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A dramatic surge in federal prosecutions tied to border security and immigration enforcement is unfolding in New Mexico — marking a sharp shift from the prior administration’s approach and underscoring how aggressively federal authorities have ramped up enforcement under President Donald Trump.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, prosecutors brought 9,081 criminal cases related to border and immigration enforcement between April 2025 and April 2026 — the first year under new leadership aligned with the Trump administration’s enforcement priorities.

That figure represents a massive increase from the 3,457 cases filed during the previous 12-month period, which largely fell under the tail end of the Biden administration.

The more than doubling of prosecutions includes cases involving illegal reentry, human smuggling, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, immigration fraud, and other crimes tied to activity along the southern border.

The spike follows First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison assuming leadership of the office in April 2025, as federal officials began implementing a more aggressive, enforcement-first strategy.

“These cases show how transnational criminal organizations exploit people for profit, import violence across our southern border, and poison our communities with drugs and weapons,” Ellison said in a statement.

“In New Mexico, we are focused on identifying the leaders, dismantling the networks they rely on, and using federal prosecutions to disrupt these operations at every level.”

Federal officials say the surge reflects a broader policy shift under the Trump administration, which declared a national emergency at the southern border and directed agencies to prioritize dismantling cartels and criminal networks operating in and through the United States.

Much of that work is being coordinated through the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), a multi-agency initiative launched by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations, human trafficking rings, and cartel activity.

The task force brings together federal, state, and local agencies — including the FBI, DEA, ATF, Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and local law enforcement — in what officials describe as a “whole-of-government” approach to enforcement.

Officials say the initiative places special emphasis on targeting high-level operators within criminal networks, as well as prosecuting crimes involving children, including trafficking and exploitation.

The surge in cases also highlights New Mexico’s growing role as a key corridor in the broader border security landscape.

With a long stretch of the southern border, the state has increasingly become a hotspot for illegal crossings, drug trafficking routes, and organized smuggling operations — issues that federal prosecutors now say they are addressing more aggressively than in previous years.

In addition to criminal prosecutions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office handled a substantial number of civil cases during the same period, including habeas corpus proceedings tied to immigration detention and federal custody.

While federal officials point to the increased case numbers as a sign of stronger enforcement, the data also underscores the scale of the problem — with thousands of cases continuing to flow through the system annually.

Still, the contrast is stark.

After years of lower prosecution totals during the previous administration, the latest figures suggest a significant escalation in federal enforcement activity — and a clear shift in priorities.

For now, one thing is certain: border-related prosecutions in New Mexico are rising sharply — and under the current administration, federal authorities show no signs of slowing down.

Report: under Trump, NM border crime prosecutions more than double Read More »

The strange fundraising claim at the center of Haaland’s campaign push

18 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is warning supporters that Republicans see New Mexico’s open governor’s race as a major opportunity — even claiming in a fundraising email this week that “Fox News has named our race a top pickup opportunity for the GOP.”

But no such Fox News report appears to exist.

The claim appeared in a May 12 fundraising email sent by Haaland’s campaign asking supporters for $5 donations ahead of a campaign deadline.

“$5 because Fox News has named our race a top pickup opportunity for the GOP,” the email stated.

The campaign also warned that Republican opponents were “self-funding their campaigns” and pushing an “extremist agenda,” while portraying Democrat governors as “the last line of defense” against the Trump administration.

Yet despite repeated online use of the Fox News talking point by Haaland supporters and campaign allies, no public Fox News article, ranking, or political analysis labeling the New Mexico governor’s race a “top pickup opportunity” for Republicans could be located.

Searches of Fox News election coverage and archived political rankings produced no matching report.

The unexplained claim comes as the race is increasingly attracting national attention and outside spending.

According to a recent report from the Santa Fe New Mexican, a political action committee attacking Haaland over her connection to Jeffrey Epstein raised approximately $650,000 in just over a month.

The group, Accountable New Mexico, has been running ads highlighting Haaland’s appearance in Justice Department files connected to Epstein, the disgraced financier who owned a ranch in Santa Fe County before his death in 2019.

The paper reported the PAC concealed its donors through another organization called Stand for New Mexico, potentially raising campaign finance questions under state law.

The article noted that campaign finance records and business filings showed both groups shared the same Washington, D.C., address, the same treasurer, and were incorporated one day apart.

One ad from the group accused Haaland of accepting “a ride on one of Epstein’s private jets to a D.C. fundraiser.” The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that claim mischaracterized the situation because Epstein allegedly arranged a chartered flight on another aircraft during Haaland’s unsuccessful 2014 lieutenant governor campaign with former Attorney General Gary King.

Haaland’s campaign has denied wrongdoing and insists she never interacted with Epstein directly.

Still, the issue continues to follow the campaign. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, Haaland’s Democrat primary opponent, recently stated in an ad: “Unlike others, I’m not in the Epstein files.”

The controversy has helped transform what many Democrats expected to be a smooth path to the nomination into a far more contentious race.

Earlier this month, The New York Times described Haaland’s campaign as a would-be “coronation” that had unexpectedly hit a “primary snag” after Bregman entered the race. The paper quoted Bregman saying, “I don’t think we should have coronations in a democracy.”

While Haaland still dominates financially — reporting roughly $3.16 million cash on hand compared to Bregman’s approximately $200,000 usable primary balance — the increasingly aggressive tone of the race appears to be changing campaign strategy on both sides.

Haaland’s fundraising email itself reflects growing concern inside Democrat circles about the broader political environment in New Mexico.

The email emphasized “safe communities,” “strong education,” and affordability issues — areas where Democrats have faced mounting criticism after years of one-party control in Santa Fe.

And while the campaign claims national Republicans see the race as a top-tier opportunity, the campaign has yet to provide evidence that Fox News itself ever made that designation.

For now, the quote appears to exist primarily in Democrat fundraising emails rather than any publicly identifiable Fox News reporting.

The strange fundraising claim at the center of Haaland’s campaign push Read More »

Eco-left groups lose it as Pearce closes in on BLM

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A fierce backlash from environmental activists erupted this week after former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce cleared a major hurdle toward leading one of the most powerful land agencies in the country.

The U.S. Senate voted 46–45 on Monday to advance Pearce’s nomination to head the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), putting him on track for final confirmation in the coming days. The procedural vote moves Pearce one step closer to overseeing roughly 245 million acres of federal land nationwide — including more than 13 million acres in New Mexico.

The advancement immediately triggered outrage from left-wing environmental groups, who have long opposed Pearce due to his record supporting energy development and pushing back against federal land restrictions.

Pearce, who represented New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District from 2003 to 2009 and again from 2011 to 2019 and later chaired the state Republican Party, has been a consistent advocate for domestic energy production and local control of land use. Before entering Congress, he founded an oil and gas company in southern New Mexico — experience that supporters say makes him uniquely qualified to manage public lands tied to energy, grazing, and economic activity.

But leftists are openly furious.

“The test of a BLM director is whether they will steward public lands for the benefit of all Americans,” said Dan Ritzman of the Sierra Club. “Steve Pearce has consistently failed that test… he thinks the primary benefits of our natural heritage should go to corporations and billionaires and not the American people.”

Pearce’s nomination comes as President Donald Trump moves aggressively to expand domestic energy production and roll back federal land restrictions that have limited development. The administration has already begun undoing policies from prior years, including the recent cancellation of the so-called “Public Land Rule,” which required equal weighting between conservation and resource extraction.

That shift signals a broader policy direction — one that Pearce would help implement if confirmed.

Democrats, including New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, have also voiced opposition, pointing to Pearce’s past support for reducing national monument designations and opening federal lands to development.

Heinrich said he “cannot ignore” Pearce’s record, arguing it “remain[s] in the memory of every New Mexican who faced his opposition in order to protect the lands they cherish.”

Still, despite the backlash, Pearce’s nomination is moving forward — and likely headed toward approval.

The Senate bundled his advancement with dozens of other nominees in a single vote, part of a streamlined process that confused some media outlets and activists, who prematurely claimed Pearce had already been confirmed. A final confirmation vote is expected soon.

Even some Democrats acknowledge the path ahead is clear.

A spokesperson for Sen. Ben Ray Luján indicated Pearce’s confirmation will “most likely” come through the same en bloc voting process used to advance his nomination.

Meanwhile, the reaction from activist groups underscores just how high the stakes are.

Pearce has been labeled “one of the most contentious nominees” in the package by left-wingers — not because of a lack of qualifications, but because of what his leadership represents: a shift away from federal land grabs and toward expanded use for energy, agriculture, and economic growth.

Eco-left groups lose it as Pearce closes in on BLM Read More »

High-speed chase across NM ends in huge fentanyl bust

12 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

What started as a routine surveillance operation quickly spiraled into a dangerous, high-speed chase across eastern New Mexico — ending with a crash, an arrest, and the seizure of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills.

Now, an Albuquerque man is facing the consequences.

A federal jury has convicted 33-year-old Tevin King of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl following a dramatic pursuit that stretched from Hobbs to Portales and finally to Clovis, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

The case underscores the growing threat of fentanyl trafficking in the state — and the lengths traffickers will go to avoid capture.

According to court testimony, King was already wanted on a federal arrest warrant tied to a supervised release violation when agents tracked him down in Hobbs in August 2024. Law enforcement observed a black Chevrolet Malibu leaving a residence and began following the vehicle as it traveled toward Portales.

That’s where things escalated.

Agents followed the vehicle to a Stripes gas station, where a passenger exited and went inside the store. At that moment, King — who had been hiding inside the vehicle — suddenly moved into the driver’s seat and took off as agents attempted to close in.

What followed was a high-speed chase through city streets and across multiple jurisdictions.

During the pursuit, King attempted to ditch evidence — tossing a canvas tote bag out of the driver’s side window near Eastern New Mexico University. The move didn’t work.

A civilian witnessed the bag being thrown and retrieved it, ultimately turning it over to campus police. Inside: approximately 16,000 fentanyl pills.

The chase didn’t end there.

King continued fleeing into Clovis, driving recklessly through a residential area before slamming into a law enforcement vehicle, finally bringing the pursuit to a halt.

He was arrested at the scene.

After a four-day trial, a federal jury found King guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl — a charge that carries severe penalties given the scale of the drug seizure.

King now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could receive a life sentence when he is formally sentenced. A sentencing date has not yet been set, but the court has already ordered that he remain in custody.

Federal officials say the case highlights both the scale of fentanyl trafficking operations and the coordinated effort required to stop them.

The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, local police departments in Portales and Clovis, and multiple regional drug task forces — underscoring how widespread and organized these operations have become.

While the case ended in a conviction, the broader issue remains.

Fentanyl continues to flood into communities across New Mexico, driving overdose deaths and fueling crime — with traffickers often willing to take extreme risks, including high-speed chases through populated areas, to avoid being caught.

In this case, those risks didn’t pay off.

But the scale of the seizure — 16,000 pills — is a stark reminder of just how much is still moving through the state.

High-speed chase across NM ends in huge fentanyl bust Read More »

GOP governor candidates clash in debate — but one big question still looms

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With New Mexico Republicans heading into a wide-open gubernatorial primary, voters hoping for fireworks at the latest debate instead saw something else: three candidates largely agreeing on the problems facing the state — while making their cases on who is best equipped to fix them.

At the Albuquerque Journal-hosted debate, former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, businessman Doug Turner, and former Cabinet secretary Duke Rodriguez kept the tone mostly cordial, often echoing one another on major policy issues like crime, education, and economic growth.

That dynamic reflects the current state of the race: unsettled, competitive — and still largely up for grabs.

A recent Albuquerque Journal poll found Hull leading with 30% support, followed by Turner at 21% and Rodriguez at 9%. But the most important number may be the 40% of voters who remain undecided just weeks before the June 2 primary.

That uncertainty hung over the debate — and shaped much of the candidates’ messaging.

Each contender leaned heavily into broad, voter-friendly themes, particularly public safety and education, which also dominated the earlier KOAT debate. In that forum, Rodriguez called crime the state’s “biggest single issue,” arguing it “impacts every other area,” while Hull emphasized that “everything rises and falls on education.” Turner similarly warned that nearly half of third graders cannot read at grade level, calling the situation a long-term failure that must be addressed immediately.

At the Journal debate, those same themes resurfaced — with little daylight between the candidates.

All three candidates agreed the state’s education system is underperforming and tied it directly to workforce challenges and crime. They also backed tax reforms aimed at putting more money “back into New Mexicans’ pockets,” signaling a shared economic message heading into the final stretch of the campaign.

Where differences did emerge, they were often subtle.

Hull emphasized expanding law enforcement and community policing to address crime, while Turner and Rodriguez focused more on economic opportunity and education as root causes. Turner, for example, argued that improving education outcomes would help keep young people out of trouble, while Rodriguez stressed accountability in how the state spends its growing education budget.

Another key divide came on political identity.

When asked about alignment with President Donald Trump, Turner was the most direct, saying he had voted for Trump three times and had “no apologies about it.” Hull and Rodriguez took a different approach, declining to adopt labels and instead emphasizing their focus on New Mexico-specific issues.

Still, even those distinctions were relatively restrained compared to more combative primaries seen in other states.

At one point, Turner acknowledged Hull’s frontrunner status — even targeting him with a question about why he did not formally endorse Trump during a campaign stop in Rio Rancho. Hull responded by deflecting, saying his focus remains on serving New Mexicans rather than engaging in political posturing.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez continued to position himself as an outsider candidate, describing himself as “clearly the only nonpolitician” and pointing to his personal background, including having once relied on Medicaid and food stamps, as evidence of his perspective.

Despite those individual narratives, the overall tone of the debate reinforced a central reality: Republican voters are still sorting out who these candidates are.

That’s especially important in a race where none of the contenders has held statewide office, leaving many voters still unfamiliar with their records and proposals.

And with independents now playing a larger role under New Mexico’s semi-open primary system, all three candidates made clear they are competing not just for Republican voters — but for a broader coalition that could decide the outcome.

With early voting beginning and nearly half the electorate still undecided, the race remains fluid.

The candidates may agree on what’s wrong with New Mexico — but in the weeks ahead, the question voters will answer is who they trust to fix it.

GOP governor candidates clash in debate — but one big question still looms Read More »

Trump DOJ drops hammer on NM’s anti-ICE law

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The Trump administration’s Department of Justice has taken direct aim at New Mexico’s controversial immigration policies, filing a federal lawsuit against the state, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Attorney General Raul Torrez, and the City of Albuquerque over laws the administration says are actively obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

At the center of the legal battle is House Bill 9 — erroneously dubbed the “Immigrant Safety Act” — along with Albuquerque’s “Safer Community Places Ordinance.” According to the DOJ, both measures go far beyond limiting cooperation with federal authorities and instead unlawfully interfere with the federal government’s constitutional authority over immigration.

In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court, the federal government argues the laws attempt to dismantle long-standing partnerships between local and federal agencies — partnerships that have been critical to enforcing immigration laws for decades.

“New Mexico is attempting to regulate immigration policy, something the federal government is clearly and uniquely empowered by the Constitution to do,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the DOJ’s Civil Division. “Our filings seek to halt the state’s unconstitutional actions… and allow federal immigration officials to enforce the law.”

The lawsuit specifically challenges provisions that block federal immigration agents from using local government property and resources to carry out enforcement operations. The DOJ also zeroed in on Albuquerque’s ordinance, which it says goes even further by effectively requiring private businesses to warn illegal immigrants about federal enforcement activity.

According to federal officials, those provisions don’t just limit cooperation — they actively “harbor and shield illegal aliens from detection,” creating a direct obstacle to federal law enforcement.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico said the state’s actions are intentional and legally indefensible.

“The State of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque seek to intentionally obstruct federal law enforcement by preventing cooperation between local governments and the federal government,” Ellison said. “HB9 and the SCPO unlawfully interfere with federal immigration enforcement… and violate constitutional protections regarding contracts and federal supremacy.”

The lawsuit also highlights economic consequences, particularly in southern New Mexico, where immigration detention facilities have long been a source of jobs and local revenue. Federal officials say the state’s policies threaten hundreds of jobs tied to those facilities, especially in Otero County.

“By barring public entities from participating in federal immigration detention… HB9 jeopardizes nearly 300 jobs and the economy of Otero County,” Ellison added.

The legal action is part of a broader national crackdown by the Trump administration on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and directed the DOJ to identify and challenge state and local policies that undermine federal immigration enforcement.

Albuquerque was later included on a federal list of sanctuary jurisdictions, and the administration has since followed through on its promise to bring legal action.

The DOJ argues that federal immigration enforcement depends heavily on cooperation with local authorities — cooperation that New Mexico’s new laws are now attempting to dismantle.

“Central to this mission are long-standing, voluntary agreements between federal and local agencies,” the DOJ stated, emphasizing that these partnerships are essential to “keep New Mexicans safe.”

The case, United States v. State of New Mexico et al., now heads to federal court, where the administration is seeking an immediate injunction to block enforcement of the laws.

For now, the lawsuit sets up a high-stakes legal showdown over immigration authority — one that could determine whether New Mexico’s sanctuary-style policies stand, or are struck down as unconstitutional.

Trump DOJ drops hammer on NM’s anti-ICE law Read More »

New poll shows Cunningham surging as Vasquez slips in NM-02

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A newly released internal poll is shaking up the political landscape in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, showing Republican challenger Greg Cunningham rapidly closing the gap — and in some metrics, already matching incumbent Democrat Gabe Vasquez.

The survey, conducted April 26–28 among 879 likely general election voters, reveals a district far more competitive than Democrats have publicly suggested. According to the data, the generic congressional ballot is tied at 45%–45%, signaling a dead-even partisan environment heading into the 2026 cycle.

More notably, Cunningham trails Vasquez by just two points — 43% to 41% — a margin well within the poll’s 3.29% margin of error. That effectively places the race in toss-up territory, despite Cunningham having spent relatively little compared to the incumbent.

Even more striking is the vulnerability of Vasquez himself.

The poll shows Vasquez with a negative approval rating overall, with just 34% of voters viewing him favorably compared to 42% who view him unfavorably — a net -8% image. His standing is even weaker among key voting blocs, including independents, where he is underwater by 16 points, and Hispanic voters, where he posts a -6% rating.

Those numbers suggest deep structural problems for the incumbent heading into a high-turnout election year.

At the same time, Cunningham appears to be gaining traction with exactly the voters Republicans need to win the district. According to the poll, he is already securing nearly 40% support among Hispanic voters and performing strongly among high-propensity voters — those most likely to actually cast ballots.

Perhaps the most important takeaway, however, is Cunningham’s room to grow.

A full 37% of voters surveyed said they had not yet heard of Cunningham, while another 31% said they were unsure about him. Despite that lack of name recognition, he is already statistically tied with a sitting congressman.

That dynamic points to significant upside for the Republican challenger as the race develops and more voters become familiar with his background as a Marine and former Albuquerque police officer.

The broader political environment in NM-02 also appears to be shifting.

The poll found that 51% of voters in the district would prefer a candidate who supports President Donald Trump’s agenda over one aligned with former President Joe Biden — a notable indicator of where voter sentiment is trending.

Meanwhile, the Democrat brand itself is struggling. The survey shows Democrats underwater by 18 points in the district, while Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham carries a -14% approval rating, further dragging down the party’s standing.

Taken together, the numbers paint a clear picture: NM-02 is no longer a safe seat for Democrats.

Republican strategists argue the race is poised to flip as voters turn against what they describe as Vasquez’s far-left agenda.

“Extreme Democrat Gabe Vasquez’s high-tax, anti-police, pro-open border agenda is completely out of line with New Mexicans,” said NRCC spokesman Reilly Richardson. “This fall, voters will boot Vasquez out of office and elect Marine and former Albuquerque Police Officer Greg Cunningham to fight for them.”

With Cunningham already within striking distance — and a large share of voters still forming opinions — the race in southern New Mexico is shaping up to be one of the most competitive congressional contests in the country.

And if these trends hold, it could soon become one of the biggest Republican pickup opportunities of the 2026 cycle.

New poll shows Cunningham surging as Vasquez slips in NM-02 Read More »

NM Dems picked a fight with ICE — and failed miserably

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A flagship Democrat-backed effort to shut down immigration detention in New Mexico has collapsed in real time — with every single facility staying open despite the passage of a sweeping anti-ICE law.

Earlier this year, the Democrat-controlled Legislature pushed through the so-called “Immigrant Safety Act,” designed to block counties from working with federal immigration authorities. Activists and lawmakers touted the measure as a way to effectively end immigration detention operations across the state.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, the federal government quickly moved around the law — and won.

According to reporting from the Santa Fe New Mexican, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already secured a direct contract with private prison company CoreCivic to continue housing detainees in both Cibola and Torrance counties. The contract officially took effect May 1 — weeks before the law’s May 20 implementation date.

Previously, counties served as intermediaries between ICE and private operators. The new law attempted to sever that relationship. But rather than shutting down operations, the federal government simply cut the counties out entirely.

The result: business continues as usual.

ICE spokesperson Leticia Zamarripa confirmed the contract was awarded April 30 with a May 1 start date, though federal officials declined to release full details, according to the New Mexican. Federal spending records show at least $13.4 million has already been allocated, with the contract running through April 2027.

Local officials made clear they are no longer involved — but also made clear the facilities are not going anywhere.

Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher said the county is now “not involved with the ICE inmates in any way shape or form,” after being instructed by federal officials to step aside before the new contract began.

Torrance County officials similarly confirmed their prior agreement expired in March and that they have no role in the new federal arrangement.

But the most revealing reaction came from those who feared the law would devastate local economies.

“The jobs won’t go, and we’re very relieved — so relieved,” Fletcher told the New Mexican.

That relief underscores what critics warned from the start: the law targeted local governments, not the federal government or private companies actually running the facilities.

The third major detention center in Otero County is also staying open after county officials rushed to extend their ICE contract before the law took effect. When the state attempted to block that move, the New Mexico Supreme Court rejected the effort outright.

In total, all three major immigration detention facilities in the state remain operational — directly contradicting claims that the legislation would shut them down.

Even some advocates acknowledged the outcome amounts to a failure of the policy’s core goal.

Ian Philabaum of Innovation Law Lab called the continued operation of facilities “a direct rebuke of the will of the people,” according to the New Mexican.

But the legal reality is clear: the state lacks authority to stop federal immigration enforcement or private contracts — a limitation that has doomed similar efforts in other states.

Despite months of political rhetoric and legislative maneuvering, New Mexico’s attempt to dismantle ICE detention has resulted in no closures, no shutdowns, and no meaningful disruption.

Instead, the system remains intact — just with counties removed from the process.

In the end, the law didn’t stop ICE.

It simply changed who signs the paperwork.

NM Dems picked a fight with ICE — and failed miserably Read More »

Election system ‘hiccup’ disrupts NM primary voting launch

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New Mexico’s first day of early voting for the June 2 primary election got off to a rocky start Tuesday after technical problems disrupted same-day voter registration systems in several counties — even as the state launches its controversial new semi-open primary system.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, issues began around 11:30 a.m. when state website firewalls mistakenly flagged communication between county computers and the voter registration system as unsafe, temporarily interrupting functionality in some counties.

Secretary of State spokeswoman Lindsey Bachman told Source New Mexico that the state’s “website firewalls incorrectly determined that traffic between some county computers and the website was unsafe” and blocked access, causing temporary disruptions to the same-day registration process.

Though Bachman said the underlying same-day registration systems technically remained operational, the communication breakdown prevented them from functioning normally in affected areas.

The issue was reportedly resolved by 1 p.m., with Bachman stating the office does “not expect any recurrence.”

Still, the outage raised fresh questions about election administration preparedness on the very first day of voting.

Sandoval County Deputy Clerk Joey Dominguez described the problem as a “hiccup,” while Roosevelt County Clerk Mandi Park said her county’s separate registration issue stemmed from what she called “user-error” after she forgot her password to the same-day registration application.

Both counties said only one voter sought same-day registration during the outages, and both individuals were allowed to cast provisional ballots.

The disruption comes as New Mexico debuts its new semi-open primary system — a major election change enacted through Senate Bill 16 last year — allowing “decline to state” and independent voters to cast ballots in either the Republican or Democratic primary without changing party registration.

The new law marks a significant departure from New Mexico’s traditional closed primary system and has already sparked political debate over how it could reshape turnout and candidate selection in future elections.

Bernalillo County Clerk Michelle Kavanaugh told Source New Mexico she expects the new system to increase participation, particularly among independents.

“We’ve had some time to prepare and we’re hoping to see a growth in the number of people voting in primaries,” Kavanaugh said outside the Bernalillo County Clerk’s Annex on Tuesday.

Still, early anecdotal numbers suggest turnout from independent voters remained modest on day one.

Kavanaugh said only a small handful of decline-to-state voters had cast ballots Tuesday morning in Bernalillo County, where roughly 27% of registered voters fall into that category.

Statewide, approximately 26% of New Mexico’s 1.4 million registered voters are listed as independent or decline-to-state, making them a potentially significant new force in primary elections under the revised law.

Meanwhile, election observer groups are dramatically expanding their presence this cycle.

Carmen López, co-leader of Observe New Mexico Elections, told Source New Mexico the organization plans to deploy election observers in all 33 counties for the first time during the 2026 primary.

“In 2024, we only attempted to observe in three or four counties,” López said.

The group says its observers will monitor poll worker training, machine testing, vote certification, and other election procedures in an effort to improve transparency and public confidence.

For the November general election, the organization hopes to field as many as 300 observers statewide.

Tuesday’s technical issues may prove minor if they do not recur — but they nonetheless provided an inauspicious opening to a primary cycle already being closely watched due to the implementation of New Mexico’s new semi-open primary structure.

Expanded early voting locations will open May 16 and remain available through May 30, ahead of Election Day on June 2.

For now, New Mexico’s 2026 primary is underway — though not without early complications.

Election system ‘hiccup’ disrupts NM primary voting launch Read More »

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