Politics

Toulouse Oliver goes ballistic over Trump election security order

1 Comment / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver issued a sharply worded statement this week attacking President Donald Trump’s new executive order aimed at tightening election security, joining a growing list of Democrat officials nationwide threatening lawsuits over the move.

The executive order, signed this week, seeks to create a nationwide system to verify voter eligibility and tighten rules surrounding mail-in voting — an issue Congress has debated for years but failed to fully address at the federal level.

Within minutes of the order being signed, Democrat officials across the country began threatening legal action. According to Fox News, California Gov. Gavin Newsom immediately responded, “We’re challenging it… See you in court,” while election officials in Arizona, Oregon, Maine and Nevada also signaled they would sue to block the order.

Trump acknowledged the legal fight was coming but signed the order anyway, saying election integrity concerns needed to be addressed. “The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary,” Trump said after signing the order. “I think this will help a lot with elections,” Fox News reported.

The order directs federal agencies to work together to compile lists of eligible voters and includes measures such as ballot tracking barcodes and restrictions on sending absentee ballots to individuals not on verified voter rolls.

But Toulouse Oliver responded with a lengthy statement via X accusing the president of attempting to undermine elections and disenfranchise voters.

“The executive order signed by the President yesterday is yet another unconstitutional attempt to make it harder for eligible voters to cast a ballot and dangerously undermines the confidence in our elections,” Toulouse Oliver said in the statement.

She also claimed the order “threatens to disenfranchise tens of thousands of eligible New Mexicans” and said her office would work with the New Mexico Department of Justice to review the order and “certainly will challenge it.”

Her statement also argued that election administration is a state responsibility and criticized the idea of a federal voter verification system.

However, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly prohibit the federal government from setting national election standards, and Congress has historically passed numerous federal election laws, including the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act.

The executive order comes as Republicans in Congress have pushed for the SAVE Act, a federal law that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, but the legislation has stalled in the Senate.

Trump’s order appears to be an attempt to move forward on election integrity measures while Congress remains deadlocked.

The issue is likely to be decided in court, as multiple Democrat-led states have already pledged legal action. Fox News reported that election lawyers aligned with Democrats called the order “a massive and unconstitutional voter suppression effort,” while Trump has argued the order is necessary to ensure elections are “clean and fair.”

Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, is currently running in the party’s primary for lieutenant governor in New Mexico, adding a political dimension to her response as election policy once again becomes a major national issue heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

With lawsuits expected and the federal government moving forward, the fight over who controls election rules in America — states, Congress, or the executive branch — now appears headed for another major court battle.

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Torrez takes Otero County ICE fight to Supreme Court

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The New Mexico Department of Justice has launched a new legal effort to block Otero County from continuing its partnership with federal immigration authorities, escalating a growing legal and political fight over immigrant detention in the state.

According to reporting by the Santa Fe New Mexican, which broke the story, the Department of Justice filed a petition with the New Mexico Supreme Court asking the justices to stop a newly signed contract between Otero County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The five-year agreement was signed last month, just days before the county’s previous contract with ICE was set to expire.

The legal battle centers around the state’s new Immigrant Safety Act, an unconstitutional law scheduled to take effect May 20 that will prohibit local governments in New Mexico from entering into or renewing contracts with ICE for immigration detention.

Otero County operates one of three immigration detention facilities in New Mexico and housed roughly 900 detainees as of last month. County officials have argued they had no choice but to extend the ICE contract because the county still owes tens of millions of dollars in bonds used to build the Otero County Processing Center.

The Department of Justice, however, argues the contract extension is unlawful on multiple grounds. In its filing, the agency claims local governments do not have the legal authority to enter into agreements with ICE and that Otero County failed to obtain required approval from the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration before signing the agreement.

“The rule of law requires that all public bodies follow clearly established legal requirements, without exception,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez said in a statement quoted by the Santa Fe New Mexican. “Otero County did not obtain the approval state law requires, and the agreement is invalid. We are asking the Court to act swiftly to prevent its enforcement.”

This is not the first time the state has challenged Otero County’s actions. The Department of Justice previously objected to a March 13 Otero County Commission meeting where the contract extension was approved, arguing the meeting violated state transparency laws because it was held with only a few hours’ notice to the public. The county later held another meeting in an attempt to address the issue.

Otero County Attorney R.B. Nichols has disputed the state’s claims, arguing the county was not required to obtain approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. He has also warned that failing to extend the ICE contract could put the county at risk of defaulting on millions of dollars in outstanding bonds tied to the detention facility.

State officials also argue the timing of the contract suggests the county was attempting to get around the new law before it takes effect. The Immigrant Safety Act requires existing agreements to be terminated at the earliest possible date after May 20, but Otero County’s new contract reportedly prevents the county from withdrawing from the agreement for any reason during the five-year term.

“By rushing to lock in a long-term detention contract on the eve of that law taking effect, Otero County acted in direct defiance of public policy set by the New Mexico Legislature,” the Department of Justice said in a statement, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

The situation in Otero County differs from two other immigration detention facilities in New Mexico located in Torrance and Cibola counties. In those counties, ICE contracts directly with private prison operator CoreCivic, which owns the land where the facilities are located. Because the contracts are with a private company rather than a local government, the state may have limited authority to intervene.

The legal fight now appears headed to the New Mexico Supreme Court, where justices will be asked to decide whether Otero County’s contract with ICE can move forward — a decision that could have major implications for immigration detention in New Mexico.

The case is ongoing.

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Border Patrol considering new station in Cruces as agents expected to increase

7 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is considering building a new Border Patrol station in Las Cruces as federal officials prepare for an increase in agents and operations in southern New Mexico, according to a letter sent to the City of Las Cruces and first reported by KFOX14.

The proposed facility would sit on a parcel of land between 30 and 40 acres and would be designed to support additional agents and personnel assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector, which includes southern New Mexico. The stated goal of the new station is to increase border security and improve the agency’s ability to apprehend individuals who enter the country illegally.

In a March 4 letter to Las Cruces City Manager Ikani Taumoepeau, Customs and Border Protection said it is preparing an environmental assessment for the potential construction, operation, and maintenance of a new Border Patrol station in Doña Ana County.

“The purpose of the new station is to accommodate the addition of new agents and personnel to increase border security within the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector,” the letter states, adding that the ultimate objective is “increasing the probability of apprehension of those that have entered the U.S. illegally.”

Federal officials are currently evaluating three possible locations in Las Cruces for the new facility, though specific sites have not yet been finalized. As part of the planning process, CBP is requesting input from state and local agencies regarding environmental impacts, permitting requirements, and other regulatory issues that could affect the project.

CBP officials said they are in the early stages of the process and are currently gathering information from local governments and agencies that may be affected by the project. A public review and comment period is expected to take place later as part of the environmental assessment process.

“The City has received the attached correspondence from CBP requesting comment from local governments… whether there would be an environmental impact to a new CBP facility, should CBP decide to seek one in any of three locations identified in the letter,” the City of Las Cruces said in a statement reported by KFOX14. The city also noted that no final decision has been made and that the project is still in the evaluation phase.

Las Cruces City Councilor Michael Harris said he has already raised concerns about one of the potential sites, particularly a location near Highland Elementary School. Harris said he believes a more remote site would be more appropriate, citing environmental concerns and the number of vehicles that typically operate out of Border Patrol facilities.

He also noted that choosing a location away from residential areas, schools, and churches would allow more room for expansion if the facility grows in the future.

The potential new station comes as federal officials prepare for increased border enforcement activity in the El Paso Sector, which covers far West Texas and southern New Mexico, including Doña Ana County and surrounding areas.

If built, the facility would likely bring additional federal agents, support staff, and infrastructure to the Las Cruces area, potentially bringing economic activity as well as renewed debate over border security and federal presence in southern New Mexico.

For now, the project remains in the environmental review stage, and federal officials are asking local agencies to provide input within 30 days so potential environmental impacts can be evaluated before any final site is selected.

A formal public comment period is expected to take place later as part of the environmental assessment process before any construction moves forward.

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Food world gives Sen. Ben Ray Luján a big award

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U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico has received a national award from one of the most well-known organizations in the culinary world, according to a report from KOAT 7.

The James Beard Foundation announced that Luján was selected as a recipient of its Impact Award, which recognizes individuals working to influence food policy and improve food systems across the country.

According to KOAT 7, Luján was honored for his role as ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, where he has been involved in federal food policy and nutrition programs. The foundation said his work has been guided by the belief that hunger in the United States is ultimately a policy decision, not an inevitability.

As part of his role on the subcommittee, KOAT reported that Luján has worked on efforts related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, and has supported measures aimed at strengthening and protecting those benefits.

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“The foundation says Lujan’s work was driven by the belief that hunger is a policy decision in the United States,” KOAT 7 reported in its coverage of the award. The report also noted that Luján has supported policies aimed at ensuring agricultural workers, grocery store workers, and others involved in the food supply chain have the support and resources needed to keep the nation’s food system operating.

The James Beard Foundation Impact Award is not a cooking award, but rather a recognition given to policymakers, advocates, and leaders who the organization believes are working to create what it describes as a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable food system.

According to KOAT, the award “recognizes those who are actively working to push for standards that create equitable, sustainable and an economically viable food system for everyone.”

The James Beard Foundation is widely known for its annual James Beard Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of the food world,” which typically honor chefs, restaurants, and culinary professionals. However, the foundation also gives Impact Awards to policymakers and public figures involved in food policy, agriculture, and nutrition programs.

Luján’s recognition comes as Congress continues to debate funding levels and policy changes related to federal nutrition programs, agricultural subsidies, and food supply chain issues — all areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the Senate Agriculture Committee and its subcommittees.

The New Mexico senator has served in the U.S. Senate since 2021 after previously serving six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his time in Congress, he has been involved in telecommunications policy, infrastructure funding, and agriculture and nutrition policy through his committee assignments.

The James Beard Foundation said the Impact Award is intended to highlight individuals whose work influences the broader food system, not just the restaurant industry, and includes policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and advocates working on hunger, agriculture, sustainability, and food access issues.

KOAT 7 first reported Luján’s award and noted that the recognition was specifically tied to his work on nutrition policy and food system issues through his role on the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition.

Luján humiliates himself during RFK, Jr. confirmation hearing

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EXCLUSIVE: Haaland, Bregman camps clash over Epstein ad

16 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

A political advertisement released by the political action committee Accountable New Mexico is escalating tensions in New Mexico’s governor’s race, as the campaigns of Democrat candidates Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman exchange sharp statements over allegations tied to Jeffrey Epstein–related records.

The advertisement, which has begun circulating online and through digital platforms, targets Haaland over alleged past connections to Epstein’s network. According to the ad’s transcript, the narrator claims that Haaland accepted a ride on one of Epstein’s private jets to attend a Washington, D.C., fundraiser and accepted “tens of thousands of dollars” in donations tied to Epstein-linked businesses. The ad also alleges that Haaland’s campaign later solicited additional contributions and that when questioned about the matter, Haaland referred inquiries to a spokesperson rather than answering directly.

The ad cites previously reported material and Department of Justice records, including documents associated with Epstein and past reporting from New Mexico Political Report, KOB 4, and KRQE. Some of those reports reference a Washington, D.C., fundraising trip and emails discussing a reported $50,000 fundraising request referenced in records tied to Epstein-linked entities.

In response to the advertisement, the Haaland campaign strongly denied the allegations and pushed back on the origins of the attack.

“Sam Bregman and his dark money friends are lying about Deb because he has no path to victory in this race,” Haaland campaign spokesperson Hannah Menchhoff told the Piñon Post. “She never met Epstein, never took money from him, and never rode on his jet. She believes all abusers and the people who defend them must be held accountable.”

The Haaland campaign also provided additional background regarding the 2014 Washington, D.C., trip referenced in some reports. According to the campaign, the flight in question was not Epstein’s personal jet but a chartered aircraft arranged through a private company and paid for by the campaign of then-gubernatorial candidate Gary King. The campaign said Haaland had no knowledge of Epstein’s role in connecting King with the charter company and maintained that Haaland’s lieutenant governor campaign did not accept or solicit donations from Epstein.

The campaign also pointed to Haaland’s record in Congress and as Secretary of the Interior, including work related to missing and murdered Indigenous women, support for the Violence Against Women Act, efforts related to human trafficking prevention and victim services, and a 2019 request for an inquiry into Epstein’s 2008 plea deal, where he evaded federal charges.

The Bregman campaign, however, rejected the Haaland campaign’s accusation that it was associated to the political action committee behind the advertisement, while also defending the ad’s claims.

“Our campaign is not affiliated with this group in any way however there does not seem to be any factually incorrect statements made in this ad,” said Joanie Griffin, campaign press secretary for Sam Bregman for Governor to the Piñon Post. “The Epstein files clearly lay out the truth of what happened.”

“Everything in that ad is a complete lie,” said Menchhoff in a phone interview with the Post. “This is a desperate cry for help from the Bregman team…. All the reporting about the flight and the whole situation, all the articles specifically don’t say it’s an Epstein jet. They say Epstein-linked. None of the claims even made in the ad are technically supported by contemporary articles,” noting the only connections are to former Attorney General Gary King.

When asked about Haaland’s connection to Gary King, who recently attended the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce’s “La Noche Encantada” gala on February 21, which was also attended by Haaland, Menchhoff said Haaland may have seen him there, but there has been “no ongoing correspondence” with the former governor. King’s father, Democratic former Gov. Bruce King, sold Epstein the Santa Fe County land, which later became the site of Zorro Ranch. 

“Deb is a pretty authentic person. What you see is what you get. She’s very purposeful in the way she acts.” Menchhoff noted in the interview, “At the end of the day, none of this is correct, and it’s not even believable.”

The exchange marks a significant early escalation in the Democratic primary for governor, where Haaland and Bregman are competing for their party’s nomination in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched races in the state. Political observers note that independent expenditure groups and political action committees often begin running advertising months ahead of primary elections in an effort to define candidates early, particularly in competitive primaries.

Jeffrey Epstein, a financier who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, maintained a wide network of wealthy and politically connected associates, and documents related to his businesses, travel, and political donations have remained the subject of ongoing public scrutiny and records releases in the years since his death. As additional documents and communications have become public, political campaigns across the country have faced renewed questions about past associations, donations, or contacts appearing in records connected to Epstein’s network.

Whether the allegations raised in the advertisement will have a lasting political impact remains unclear, but the public exchange between the Haaland and Bregman campaigns suggests the governor’s race is entering a more aggressive phase, with outside groups, opposition research, and political advertising already shaping the narrative months before voters cast ballots.

As the primary election approaches, additional advertising and political messaging from campaigns and outside groups is expected, signaling that the tone of the race may continue to intensify in the months ahead.

WATCH:

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Toulouse Oliver partnering with outside groups — while on the ballot for lt. gov.

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Questions are being raised about how New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver is working with outside groups to conduct voter education ahead of the state’s new semi-open primary election — and which organizations are involved — all while she is on the Democrat ballot herself, vying for lieutenant governor.

New Mexico is preparing for its first semi-open primary election, which will allow unaffiliated voters — often called independent or “decline-to-state” voters — to participate in either the Democratic or Republican primary without changing their party registration in advance. The change affects hundreds of thousands of New Mexico voters and represents one of the most significant election changes in recent state history.

But while the policy change itself has received attention, comments from Toulouse Oliver about how voter education efforts will be conducted are now drawing scrutiny.

In an interview reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Toulouse Oliver acknowledged that many independent voters may not yet be aware of the change and said voter education would be necessary to inform them of their new ability to vote in primary elections. However, she also indicated that her office would not be acting alone.

“Hopefully between the combined efforts of my office and partner organizations … we can get the word out,” Toulouse Oliver said, according to the report.

That statement has prompted questions about exactly which “partner organizations” the Secretary of State’s Office is working with — and whether taxpayer-funded voter education efforts are being coordinated with outside advocacy groups.

The Secretary of State also indicated that her office would be conducting a digital-focused outreach campaign due to budget constraints, saying the office would rely heavily on digital marketing tools to target voters who need to be informed about the change.

Meanwhile, several advocacy organizations have publicly acknowledged they are conducting their own voter education efforts related to the semi-open primary. Leftist groups such as Common Cause New Mexico and New Mexico Voters First have said they are part of a coalition working on outreach efforts, along with other far-left organizations including NM Native Vote and the League of Women Voters.

These groups describe the effort as a “layered campaign” that will include community events, social media outreach, radio advertising, and a website intended to inform voters about how the new primary system works.

Supporters of the semi-open primary say the change will increase voter participation and give independent voters more influence in candidate selection. They argue that candidates will now have to appeal to a broader range of voters rather than focusing only on party bases during primary elections.

However, critics say the involvement of outside organizations in voter education — particularly when coordinated alongside a government office — raises questions about messaging, influence, and whether the outreach will truly remain nonpartisan.

The Secretary of State’s Office has long argued that it faces budget limitations and must rely on partnerships and digital outreach to reach voters efficiently. But the reference to unnamed “partner organizations” working alongside a taxpayer-funded office has led some observers to call for more transparency about who those partners are, what role they are playing, and how the outreach efforts are being coordinated.

With the June primary approaching, voter education efforts are expected to ramp up significantly in the coming weeks. But as those efforts expand, questions about coordination between government offices and outside advocacy groups — and who exactly is helping “get the word out” — are likely to remain part of the conversation.

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‘No Kings’ rally devolves into DEI, anti-ICE protest: Abrams calls for ‘disruption’

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Albuquerque’s latest “No Kings” protest over the weekend featured a mix of anti-Trump rhetoric, anti-ICE activism and partisan political organizing — headlined by former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who delivered a speech warning of “authoritarianism” and urging activists to “disrupt,” “litigate,” and “elect” Democrats, including New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland.

Abrams, a national Democrat figure known for her activism to weaken election integrity, told the Albuquerque crowd that the United States is already deep into what she described as a 10-step process toward authoritarian rule.

“If there are ten steps to authoritarianism and autocracy, I’m here to tell you they have taken all ten,” Abrams said, claiming the country is experiencing a “devolution of democracy in real time.”

Abrams specifically defended diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs during her speech, telling the crowd, “DEI is in our DNA in America,” and encouraging activists to organize politically at every level of government.

“So we’ve got signs that I haven’t seen yet. Woke, watching, and working,” she said on the video, which was posted to the Democrat Party’s Facebook page.

But her speech went far beyond typical campaign rhetoric. Abrams encouraged activists to engage in what she called “disruption,” including documenting immigration enforcement operations and confronting local officials.

“We’re going to show up where ICE is and we’re going to take pictures of them,” Abrams told the crowd. “We’re going to show up at those community meetings, those city council meetings, those county commission meetings… because they’ve got folks at the state and local level doing this with them, and they all need to know we’re paying attention.”

Abrams laid out a series of political action steps for activists, including organizing, mobilizing, litigating, disrupting and ultimately electing new political leadership.

That political message became explicit when Abrams turned to New Mexico politics and encouraged the crowd to support Democrat Deb Haaland for governor.

“Every eight years in the state of New Mexico, you guys change your minds,” Abrams said. “But this time, y’all got Deb Haaland waiting for you. Let’s get it done.”

In a separate exchange caught on video, Abrams told Haaland directly, “You’re the person who’s going to be the next governor of New Mexico,” before Haaland responded by outlining her agenda and telling voters that electing her would allow her to implement her plans.

The rallies themselves, organized by far-left groups, included voter registration drives, political organizing efforts and messaging focused on immigration enforcement, elections and opposition to the Trump administration. According to reporting from Source New Mexico, some activists distributed whistles intended to alert communities to the presence of ICE agents, while others sold anti-Trump merchandise and displayed protest signs comparing current political leadership to authoritarian regimes.

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján also attended one of the rallies and urged attendees to remain politically active and vote in upcoming elections, framing the protests as part of a broader political movement heading into future election cycles.

Taken together, the event functioned less like a traditional protest and more like a political organizing rally, with national and state Democrats encouraging activism, litigation, public disruption and electoral organizing — all while framing the current political climate as a fight against authoritarianism.

With Abrams headlining the event, Haaland campaigning in the crowd and Democratic officials urging attendees to vote, the “No Kings” rally offered a clear preview of the political messaging and organizing strategy Democrats appear to be building heading into the next election cycle.

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Proposal for NM counties to join Texas sparks meltdown in Santa Fe

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A proposal out of Texas to study whether some New Mexico counties could potentially join the state of Texas has triggered a surprisingly emotional response from New Mexico’s top Democratic leaders — and exposed a political nerve that Santa Fe clearly did not want touched.

Earlier this week, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows directed a Texas legislative committee to study the possibility of adding “one or more contiguous counties of New Mexico” to the state of Texas. The committee has been instructed to study the constitutional, legal, fiscal, and economic feasibility of such a move and outline what steps would be required at both the state and federal levels.

Burrows framed the idea as a conversation about representation and economic alignment, particularly in the oil- and gas-producing Permian Basin region that stretches across southeastern New Mexico and West Texas.

“Southeast New Mexico deserves a real voice in its own future, not one dictated by Santa Fe,” Burrows said in a statement, pointing to the region’s energy production, property rights concerns, and cultural alignment with West Texas.

The proposal is still in the early stages, with Texas lawmakers expected to study the issue and present findings during the next Texas legislative session in 2027. Any actual boundary change would require approval from the New Mexico Legislature, the Texas Legislature, and the U.S. Congress — meaning the proposal is far from becoming reality.

But the mere suggestion was enough to spark sharp reactions from New Mexico Democrats, including House Speaker Javier Martínez and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office.

Martínez responded with a statement that sounded more like a social media post than a formal statement from the leader of the New Mexico House of Representatives.

“I suggest that Speaker Burrows get offline, touch some grass, and get his own House in order,” Martínez said, before launching into criticism of Texas and national Republicans over grocery prices, healthcare costs, and energy prices.

Meanwhile, Gov. Lujan Grisham’s office also dismissed the idea but issued a defensive statement emphasizing that New Mexico would remain “fully intact,” while also pivoting to methane emissions comparisons between Texas and New Mexico.

“We have every intention of keeping the great state of New Mexico fully intact. This is not a serious proposal, but Texas can study it all they want,” said Michael Coleman, the governor’s communications director, who then added that Texas should study New Mexico’s methane regulations, per KOAT 7.

The intensity of the response raised eyebrows among some observers, given that Texas is currently only studying the idea — not moving forward with any annexation proposal.

Still, the conversation touches on a very real political tension within New Mexico: southeastern New Mexico produces a massive share of the state’s oil and gas revenue, generating billions of dollars that fund state government, schools, and infrastructure across New Mexico, while the region often finds itself politically outnumbered by lawmakers from Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Republican State Rep. Randall Pettigrew of Lea County acknowledged those frustrations but said he wants to solve the issue within New Mexico rather than leaving the state.

“At the end of the day, we’re in New Mexico,” Pettigrew said. “I was born in New Mexico, raised here, have a business here, and became a state rep because I love this state. I want to fix the issues within this state.”

For now, Texas lawmakers are only studying the idea. But judging by the reaction from Santa Fe, the mere suggestion that southeastern New Mexico might have options appears to have struck a nerve in the Roundhouse.

And that reaction may end up fueling the conversation more than the proposal itself.

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Feds charge 130+ immigration-related crimes in NM in just two weeks

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Federal prosecutors in New Mexico charged more than 130 individuals with immigration-related crimes over a two-week period ending March 27, according to new enforcement statistics released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico — a sign of what officials say is a significant increase in enforcement activity across the state.

The charges were brought in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies operating throughout New Mexico’s southern border region and interior.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 98 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation, a federal felony under 8 U.S.C. 1326. Another 10 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling under 8 U.S.C. 1324, and 6 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry under 8 U.S.C. 1325.

In addition, 19 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry along with violations related to entering restricted military property. Those charges stem from arrests made in the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico, where additional federal security regulations now apply. Those individuals were charged under a combination of federal statutes, including violation of a military security regulation and entering military, naval, or Coast Guard property.

Federal officials noted that many of the individuals charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation had prior criminal convictions. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, those prior convictions included crimes such as theft, aggravated DUI, aggravated assault, use of false immigration documents, aggravated vehicular assault, child sexual assault, domestic violence, alien smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and prior immigration offenses.

The cases are part of a broader federal initiative known as Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice effort focused on combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and prosecuting individuals accused of violent crimes and human trafficking offenses.

Officials emphasized that the prosecution numbers released this week reflect only criminal charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico. The figures do not include individuals who were apprehended by immigration enforcement officials but processed through administrative immigration proceedings rather than criminal court.

The District of New Mexico covers all 33 counties in the state and includes approximately 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Federal prosecutors based in Albuquerque and Las Cruces work with law enforcement agencies across the region to prosecute immigration-related crimes and other federal offenses.

Federal authorities say public safety and border security remain top priorities in the district, and that recent enforcement efforts have increasingly focused on individuals with prior criminal histories, as well as cases involving human trafficking, sexual assault, violence against children, and organized criminal activity.

The latest numbers provide a snapshot of how immigration enforcement is currently being carried out in New Mexico — not just at the border, but across the interior of the state — and show the scale of federal prosecutions now moving through the court system in Albuquerque and Las Cruces.

As federal enforcement activity continues, additional charges and prosecutions are expected in the coming months as part of the ongoing operation.

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Immigration drops across NM — Many areas down over 50%

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A new New York Times analysis of fresh U.S. Census Bureau estimates shows that net international immigration fell in every metro area in America in 2025, and New Mexico was no exception.

The national story was clear: after years of mass migration and border chaos, immigration numbers dropped sharply across the country as restrictions that began late in the Biden administration intensified under President Donald Trump. The Times reported that every metro area in the United States experienced lower immigration rates during the year leading up to July 2025 than in the previous year, with many areas seeing declines of more than 50 percent.

For New Mexico, the map tells a striking story. Cross-referencing the Times graphic with a county map of New Mexico shows that most of the state’s identifiable metro and micropolitan areas were in the darker category — meaning net international immigration fell by more than 50 percent.

Based on that graphic, the New Mexico counties or county-based areas that appear to fall into the “fell more than 50%” category include much of the state, particularly across the south, west, and central corridor. That appears to include San Juan, McKinley, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia, Torrance, Doña Ana, Otero, Chaves, Eddy, Roosevelt, Curry, Luna, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, and likely several other county-based areas shown in orange on the map.

By contrast, the lighter yellow category — meaning immigration still fell, but by less than 50 percent — appears to show only a small pocket in north-central New Mexico, most clearly aligning with Santa Fe County on the cross-reference.

A few areas in the New Mexico graphic appear unshaded or are not clearly distinguishable on the Times image, meaning they cannot be confidently assigned to either category from the map alone. But the broad takeaway is unmistakable: New Mexico saw a substantial drop in international immigration across nearly all of its visible metro and micropolitan regions, and in most of them the decline appears to have exceeded 50 percent.

That is a major change from the previous few years, when border states and nearby regions were absorbing much larger numbers of foreign arrivals.

Supporters of stricter immigration enforcement will likely view the numbers as evidence that stronger border controls and tougher federal policy are having the intended effect. After years of record illegal immigration, the sharp decline suggests the federal government is finally regaining some control over the border and over who enters the country.

That does not mean legal immigration is bad. Far from it. A strong, orderly, merit-based legal immigration system has long benefited the United States. But the 2025 numbers suggest that the era of uncontrolled mass inflows of illegal migrants is finally slowing.

The Times noted that some demographers worry lower immigration could reduce population growth, especially in large cities and older rural counties. But there is another side to that equation: rapid immigration surges also strain schools, hospitals, housing markets, law enforcement, and taxpayer-funded services.

For New Mexico, the new map suggests that the biggest immigration slowdown was not limited to one corner of the state. It was widespread.

In short, the New York Times graphic shows that international immigration fell across virtually all visible parts of New Mexico in 2025 — and in most of those areas, it appears to have fallen by more than half. After years of border disorder, that is a dramatic reversal.

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