Federal prosecutors in New Mexico reported a sharp uptick in immigration and border-related criminal charges this week, reflecting continued emphasis on interior enforcement and border security under the Trump administration.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, led by Ryan Ellison, federal authorities brought charges in the first two weeks of January including 85 counts of illegal reentry after deportation, 96 counts of illegal entry, 5 counts of alien smuggling, and 28 additional counts tied to illegal entry in a National Defense Area — an area recently designated under special military border security jurisdiction. Many of those charged under illegal reentry statutes had prior convictions for serious offenses such as burglary, drug possession, assault and fraud.
The prosecutions — carried out with the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and local law enforcement — are part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at curbing illegal immigration and dismantling criminal networks at and near the border.
The weekly data, which cover only cases prosecuted by the District of New Mexico, are not inclusive of all border apprehensions or administrative removals, but they point to intensified criminal enforcement in a region that shares roughly 180 miles of the international boundary with Mexico.
Federal officials emphasized that public safety and securing the border remain top priorities under current leadership. “Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children,” the office said in its statement.
The New Mexico data align with broader national trends suggesting lower levels of undocumented migration since President Trump took office in January 2025. According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security statistics, southwest border crossings and encounters dropped significantly in fiscal year 2025, reaching levels not seen in decades, as enforcement policies tightened and border management practices changed substantially.
Nationwide apprehensions between ports of entry declined sharply year-over-year, with southwest border encounters falling to a forecasted lowest level in more than 50 years. From the start of Trump’s second term, the administration has significantly increased Border Patrol personnel and resources dedicated to interception, processing and removal. These efforts have corresponded with successive months in which Border Patrol reported minimal releases into the interior and a larger share of migrants processed for expedited removal or repatriation.
The drop in illegal crossings follows political and policy shifts aimed at reversing what critics characterized as lax enforcement under the prior administration. In contrast to catch-and-release practices that were widespread in 2023–2024, the current administration has instituted policies that aim to minimize unlawful entry and deter repeat attempts, including expanded use of expedited removal and military support in certain border zones.
Local prosecutors in New Mexico also noted the continuing involvement of military-designated National Defense Areas along the border, which allow enhanced operational flexibility for federal agents responding to incursions and criminal activity. Violations of these zones, which include prohibited entry into strategically critical contexts, can result in additional charges, as reflected in several recent indictments.
Despite successes in reducing crossings, border policy remains politically contentious. Immigration advocacy groups and some lawmakers argue that enforcement practices must be balanced with humanitarian considerations and legal protections, especially for families and asylum seekers. Yet federal law enforcement officials maintain that the priority is safeguarding communities and maintaining control of the border.
As enforcement actions continue into the new year, federal prosecutors and agents across New Mexico and the southwest are expected to maintain a high tempo of operations, pairing interior criminal prosecutions with border interdictions designed to sustain low levels of unauthorized entry and disrupt smuggling networks.
There are an estimated 30,000,000 illegals in the US. Where as 214 is commendable we are talking about 1 in 10 people in the country need to be deported.
Trump stopped the flow across the border. Its too late. Decades of looking the other way and permitting illegal migration and excessive immigration has forever changed America. Too many Immigrants have no interest in assimilating and becoming Americans. they form their own communities and live with their culture while rejecting ours. Look what the somalis did in Minnesota. They played the system for 9 billion dollars. Its rampant in every state. When Ted Kennedy pushed the Immigration act of 1965, that was the end of America being a unified nation. We are a lot of things in the USA but United as in United States of America is no longer one of them. Add Russia, China, and our other enemies using social media to brain wash our children and the weak minded among us and there is no turning back. Too many liberals have replaced national pride with national guilt. its sick and its destructive. Now our Congresswomen Fernandez and Stansberry are in front of the supreme court demanding that trans boys be permitted in womens sports. NM voters still vote for them. its beyond crazy. its evil.
Find them and deport them. 🇺🇲
when democrats elect our next democrat president the open border will resume. democrats are hell bent on having a one party nation. Just like NM where our senators and congress people are all democrats. we had one republican representative from southern NM and democrats would not tolerate that and redistricted. In NY state, they have 10 democrat congress people and one republican. the democrats in NY state have gone to court to redistrict and eliminate the one republican that has been elected there. As illegal immigration returns with the next democrat president, democrats will be looking for a source of income to support them. that source of income will be you, your bank accounts, your retirement savings, your everything. if you think thats crazy you are in for a rude awakening. Democrats wont stop until they control you and your money. you will then live according to how they dictate. electric cars, houses, public transporation etc etc etc. the slave class is voting to live under govt rule.
There was a time when I fully supported the idea that our government should develop a method to identify illegal immigrants and grant them temporary legal status if they were not gang members or had not committed a serious criminal offense. This would allow them an opportunity to remain in the U.S. while they continued a process to permanent legal residency. That was before Biden and his Leftist clown party made it nearly impossible when they opened the borders and allowed unknown millions of illegal aliens from all over the world to enter at will. There are many hard-working, good people who are illegally in our country who deserve a chance at citizenship. The task now would be daunting, requiring thousands of employees to track down individuals and process applications. At the same time, deporting those who do not qualify or who are unwilling to comply with conditions. I don’t know how it would be done but a process is needed – unfortunately, no administration has been willing to address the issue.
Even before the Biden Regeme, so many illegals walked into the United States and gave birth to new American citizens. We have DACA people whose parents brought them over here when they were children. 1 is running for a political office (in New Mexico). In Albuquerque we have a gal who is from Mexico who is a house representative in Congress!
Things need to be changed to only American born in political office. People hiring illegal people need to be heavily fined and community service. The illegal needs to be removed to their own Country.
Our President asked them to return to their own Country, but they ignore our laws and our President’s request. They even would be paid to return. Nope.
We need to start over with all who hold offices. Most are seated not elected.
We will have to start over with a new voting role as our’s is too corrupted.
Voter ID and 1 day voting.
Here’s a prediction that will work on the bulk of Illegal Immigrants… not the worst of the worst, that is unavoidably an ICE problem — but it’s for those immigrants that Democrats stampeded illegally across the border.
USE the already in place E-Verify process, employers create cases based on information taken from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. E-Verify then electronically compares that information to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). The employer usually receives a response within a few seconds either confirming the employee’s employment eligibility or indicating that the employee needs to take further action to complete the case.
SO, WHEN WE FINE THE CRAP OUT OF EMPLOYERS for not running each new hire through E-Verify… two things happen… we detect the presence of an illegal immigrant and that illegal should be given one chance to get a free ride out of the USA and a debit card for X$ that only works in their country of origin… handed to them when they EXIT the plane. They can then reapply properly.
If they come back and get caught… they can never reapply.
We will have their biometric data prior to deportation… with a promise that upon a reentry capture — they’ll be instantly deported without all the BS court delays… because the exiting Illegal Immigrant had to sign a document agreeing to INSTANT deportation — or they don’t get the initial deportation ride home and debit card.
THEN…
1) Enhance E-Verify with biometrics of every Illegal currently released into America — the U.S. government has not historically obtained biometrics from every non-U.S. citizen released into the country, but a new final rule effective December 26, 2025, mandates biometric collection from all noncitizens upon entry and exit. BRAVO Trump!!
2) Provide employers with a free phone app that works with any smart phone fingerprint reader — that automatically connected to E-Verify. This makes spot checks instant and EASY.
3) Spot check Employer staff — and make a huge deal, published about the fine that an in violation company had to pay because they didn’t do a ONE MINUTE eligibility test.
4) Three big monetary fines to the same company… give the CEO of the company a CHOICE of a “3 strikes MASSIVE, potentially company crippling FINE” or 30-90 days locked up in a barbed wire surrounded tent city, cots and pink t-shirts and shorts.
5) This new law should be litigation proof… there’s no wiggle room with biometric verification… if the employer doesn’t want the fine or the time… don’t support the CRIME.
6) Illegals discovered by this process INSTANTLY are removed from from SNAP, Section 8 Housing and all federal programs… that very day… which helps the illegal decide to take the Free Fight and Debit Card within a 30 day mandatory window.
Problem solved in less than 12 months !!
ON THE LOCAL FRONT…
Comment if you like this plan and to encourage our conservative legislators to write it up and put it forward for the Dems, who will absolutely shoot it down… you know they will — but isn’t it time, at the very least, to try the Criminals in Santa Fe in the court of public opinion??
I hope Prestdent Trump and ICE aswell as all that areworking to make out world safe. NM needs to get cleaned up our government suckd Keller, Ben Ray, Michelle as well as others has destroyed NM. They are only for themselves. TRUMP AND ICE PLEASE COME AND CLEAN THIS STATE UP
Robert Kwasny – a brilliant comment you made. thanks for sharing that.
I have no issues with someone that has been in the US for 30 or 40 years and has simulated and has not been charged with any bad crimes. They should be fined and forced to get citizenship with in 6 months or they get deported. Many are our neighbors and family members and back in the day they could just walk over the birth with no issues. Birthright citizenship is not legal. SCOTUS should make a ruling on that shortly. If they follow the rules it will no longer be valid. Next, illegals should not be getting government funds. It did not happen in the old days it should not happen now. If you want to support a family until they are on their feet fine, do the paperwork and take care of them. Last use the e verify system and any business caught hiring illegals should be punished enough so they do not repeat hiring an illegal. start with a 5k fine for each illegal, the next time caught it is double and double agin for the 3rd time. (yes 20K a person) that should stop jobs for illegals.
That’s what I voted for! Thank God for the federal government, because we sure as hell can’t count on Lujan Grisham and the NM reps snd senators who are all probably getting kickbacks from the cartels!
The legal immigration system needs to be overhauled. There is a REASON people come here illegally- those that are here sincerely anyway. It takes YEARS and THOUSANDS of dollars to become a US citizen. The process is long and arduous. Those saying become a citizen in 6 months, have no idea of the extent of the entire problem, nor what it really takes to become a US Citizen. Even if they wanted to, they CANNOT become citizens in 6 months even after having been here decades.
Robert Kwasney send your 6point ideas to whitehouse.gov and dhs.gov.
I agree with Robert Kwasney
When/if that happens we still get to vote with the cartridge box.