Gabe Vasquez

‘Had to run’: Vasquez flees border wall question during press briefing

30 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Far-left Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is once again refusing to answer whether he supports extending the southern border wall near Sunland Park—this time around Mount Cristo Rey, a revered religious site known for its iconic 29-foot statue of Jesus.

The area has been labeled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as “a major human smuggling infiltration site for the cartels,” highlighting growing concern over national security and human trafficking. But Vasquez—who has long opposed border enforcement efforts—won’t say where he stands.

According to a recent Source New Mexico article, Vasquez declined to comment when first asked about the wall extension. Then, during a subsequent virtual press briefing with New Mexico’s congressional delegation, Vasquez abruptly left before addressing a question submitted by The Santa Fe New Mexican asking if he supported or opposed the Cristo Rey wall extension.

Vasquez excused his departure by saying he “had to run,” deferring to his communications director Delaney Wehn, who was “on the chat” to field further questions. However, when the newspaper followed up, Wehn did not respond. Even after a second attempt this week, Wehn simply replied: “Thanks for following up here. Apologies, no answers for you at this time.”

The silence is deafening—especially from a congressman representing a border district during a time of record-breaking illegal crossings and cartel violence.

Vasquez’s refusal to answer isn’t surprising given his radical record on border security. In 2022, Vasquez called the existing U.S.-Mexico border wall a “racist political stunt” and said it was “not who we are as a country.” He has previously argued that “barriers and walls” only serve to “divide communities and perpetuate racism,” even as Border Patrol agents in his district struggle to contain daily waves of illegal crossings, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.

He has also openly opposed Title 42, the Trump-era policy that allowed for swift deportation of illegal immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Vasquez has advocated for expanded “pathways to citizenship” and broader asylum protections, aligning himself with the most extreme elements of the open-borders left.

Now, even as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—a comprehensive legislative package that includes border security investments and increased funding for immigration enforcement agents—is under national debate, Vasquez won’t say whether he supports any of its border provisions.

Vasquez’s unwillingness to take a stand—on either the Cristo Rey wall extension or the broader border funding—shows a troubling pattern of dodging responsibility while his constituents face the real consequences of his inaction. But since Vasquez’s previous statements speak volumes, it’s a sure bet Vasquez remains as radically open-borders as before.

With New Mexico communities overwhelmed by cross-border crime and federal agents stretched thin, Vasquez’s silence speaks volumes.

‘Had to run’: Vasquez flees border wall question during press briefing Read More »

Dems turn their backs on Downwinders while prioritizing criminal aliens

13 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

As cancer-stricken American citizens in New Mexico and across the West wait for long-overdue justice, Democrats in Congress continue to stall life-saving compensation for the very people harmed by their own government’s nuclear testing during the mid-1940s— all while fast-tracking benefits and protections for criminal illegal aliens paid for exclusively by the American taxpayer.

Senate Republicans have stepped up where Democrats failed, passing a sweeping tax and spending package — dubbed the “big, beautiful bill” — that includes a long-fought expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). This program, which expired over a year ago thanks to congressional inaction, provides financial relief to those exposed to deadly radiation during the U.S. government’s atomic testing and uranium mining efforts.

The bill, if passed by the House, would finally extend compensation to downwinders in New Mexico, Utah, and Idaho — people who were left out of the original RECA coverage despite overwhelming scientific evidence that they were blanketed in fallout from Cold War-era nuclear explosions. It also adds coverage for communities in Missouri, Tennessee, Alaska, and Kentucky affected by the Manhattan Project.

“This is generational legislation for Missouri and will finally deliver justice for survivors in the St. Louis region,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who championed the provision. “I call on the House to quickly pass this legislation and send it to President Trump’s desk.”

The updated bill raises the compensation amount to $100,000, loosens residency requirements, and extends eligibility for uranium workers across 11 states — including New Mexico. RECA had previously offered only $50,000 to $75,000 and restricted access to a small handful of counties, leaving thousands of Americans with no help as they battled radiation-linked diseases.

It’s a monumental shift — but one that Democrats in the House are once again threatening to derail.

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), instead of applauding this long-overdue relief for her own constituents, bizarrely took a swipe at House Republicans for allowing the program to lapse in the first place — conveniently ignoring that the entirely Democrat New Mexico delegation, despite years of control, failed to pass an expansion. “While the broader Billionaires Budget Bill is deeply harmful in many ways,” she scoffed, “we are glad some Republicans are finally recognizing the value of RECA.”

This kind of callous rhetoric insults the intelligence — and the suffering — of downwinders across New Mexico. These are not wealthy elites or partisan activists. They are ordinary families who were poisoned by their own government and then abandoned by elected officials too busy pandering to illegal immigrants and radical special interests.

As open-border Democrats fight to fund hotel stays, legal aid, and health care for criminal aliens, they simultaneously claim RECA’s $7.7 billion price tag is just too much to bear. Meanwhile, actual American citizens — veterans, ranchers, Navajo uranium workers, and children born in the radioactive shadow of nuclear blasts — continue to die waiting for relief.

RECA was never a partisan issue. It’s about righting a historical wrong. And yet, it has been Republicans — not Democrats — who finally took meaningful action to make these Americans whole.

People like far-left Rep. Gabe Vasquez used the Downwinders as political fodder during campaign season, but now, while he could be the difference to making them whole again, the entire Democrat caucus in the U.S. House — including him — have vowed to reject compensating them by voting against the bill.

The House now holds the key. Will Democrats finally put Americans first — or will they once again prioritize lawbreakers over the law-abiding?

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See how N.M.’s three U.S. reps. voted on failed move to impeach Trump

23 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

In a stunning rebuke to the far-left’s latest effort to take down President Donald Trump, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted on Tuesday to block a radical impeachment resolution pushed by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas). Green, a frequent Trump antagonist, attempted to impeach the president over his recent military strikes on Iranian targets — a move even most Democrats refused to support. Green is known for being thrown out of the President’s speech in front of Congress earlier this year because he attempted to scream and cause havoc in the chamber.

The resolution, which accused Trump of “abuse of power” for ordering precision strikes on Iranian military sites without prior congressional approval, was swiftly tabled by a bipartisan majority in a 344-79 vote. Notably, 128 Democrats joined Republicans in shutting down the resolution, signaling a clear lack of support for Green’s latest anti-Trump crusade.

But in a disturbing reflection of how far left New Mexico’s congressional delegation has veered, Reps. Melanie Stansbury of the First District and Teresa Leger Fernandez of the Third District both voted in favor of the impeachment push, siding with Green and extremist voices like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). In contrast, Rep. Gabe Vasquez of the Second District — who often toes the progressive line — broke ranks and voted with the majority to table the measure, opting not to support the baseless impeachment effort, likely for reelection efforts to attempt to fruitlessly claim “bipartisanship.” Trump won the Second District by two points in last year’s presidential election.

Green’s resolution was riddled with inflammatory language, accusing Trump of violating the Constitution by “usurping Congress’s power to declare war” and implying that the President’s defensive military action amounted to a “de facto declaration of war.” He further claimed Trump “abused the powers of the presidency” by acting without a formal declaration from Congress.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) shot back at the far-left’s allegations with a firm constitutional defense of the president’s actions.

“Let me be as clear as possible: The strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were clearly within President Trump’s Article II powers as Commander in Chief,” Johnson stated. “It shouldn’t even be in dispute.”

Trump’s decisive action received praise from the White House as a demonstration of “peace through strength” — a stark contrast to the weak, indecisive foreign policy often embraced by Democrats.

“President Trump was able to quickly accomplish what no other President has been able to achieve – thanks to his ‘peace through strength’ leadership, Iran’s nuclear program has been obliterated and a ceasefire has been agreed to,” said White House assistant press secretary Taylor Rogers. “Eliminating the prospect of nuclear war is a non-partisan and unifying accomplishment that everyone should celebrate.”

Still, progressive radicals like Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) pushed for further limits on executive military authority. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a frequent critic of foreign intervention, echoed constitutional concerns but did not support impeachment — hours after President Trump vowed to take him out in a primary like he successfully did with former Rep. Liz Cheney, who worked with Democrats to jab at the President’s America First agenda.

While Congress ultimately rejected this latest politically motivated impeachment stunt, the fact that two of New Mexico’s three Democrat representatives backed it should concern voters. Stansbury and Leger Fernandez once again proved they are more interested in grandstanding with radical coastal elites than standing up for American strength, security, or constitutional clarity. Only Rep. Vasquez, likely due to the risk of reelection, voted to table the measure, although it is sure to anger his far-left base.

See how N.M.’s three U.S. reps. voted on failed move to impeach Trump Read More »

Gabe Vasquez muzzles voters on X — then blames Elon Musk

28 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

As elected officials across New Mexico keep their social media channels open for public feedback, including sharp criticism, far-left Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of Las Cruces has chosen a different path: censorship.

Vasquez, the only member of New Mexico’s congressional delegation to disable public comments on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, is drawing fire for what critics call a clear attempt to dodge accountability and avoid tough questions. While fellow Democrats like Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Rep. Melanie Stansbury allow public engagement, despite the often rough-and-tumble nature of online discourse (for obvious reasons), Vasquez has instead hidden behind a selective, tightly controlled narrative.

Even Stansbury, who faced widespread backlash for holding a performative “This is not normal” sign during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in March, didn’t shut down public discourse. The moment, captured in a viral image showing Texas Rep. Lance Gooden snatching the sign away, drew more than 24,000 replies. Stansbury’s reaction? She doubled down on transparency.

“Free speech is a cornerstone of democracy and enshrined in our Constitution,” Stansbury said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. “That is why I will always be an advocate for free speech, whether I agree with what is being said or not.”

In sharp contrast, Vasquez has taken the coward’s way out — hiding behind an arbitrary “policy” that claims his X account is “not a public forum.” His office blames Elon Musk, citing a decline in “monitoring and quality” since Musk acquired the platform. But instead of owning his own aversion to public scrutiny, Vasquez is using Musk as a convenient scapegoat — a move that reeks of political cowardice.

“The purpose of this [X account] is for Rep. Vasquez to communicate… It is not a public forum,” his social media policy reads. In other words: He talks, you listen. No replies allowed.

This heavy-handed approach is especially troubling given that Vasquez represents New Mexico’s only swing district and barely eked out victories in both of his races under suspicious circumstances. His refusal to engage transparently with constituents on one of the most widely used platforms in politics only deepens concerns about his fitness for office.

While his spokesperson claims he’s “talking to residents every day” about issues like rising costs and healthcare, the congressman’s actions online paint a different picture: one of an elected official more concerned with controlling his image than hearing from the people he represents. It is also implausible he is “talking to residents every day” unless he pledges to answer phones or have direct contact with New Mexicans who visit his office each and every day (unlikely), making his lack of openness on social media that much more opaque for voters.

By contrast, even far-left figures like lame duck Gov. Lujan Grisham maintain open comment sections. “The comments section isn’t always for the faint of heart,” her office acknowledged. “But the Governor is committed to transparency and accessibility.”

Apparently, Vasquez isn’t.

As he hides behind firewalls and PR spin, voters should be asking: What is Gabe Vasquez so afraid of? Why does he fear public input on a platform where others in his own party remain unfiltered and accessible?

If his policies are truly helping everyday New Mexicans, he shouldn’t need to muzzle dissent. But by silencing critics and blaming Elon Musk for his own lack of transparency, Vasquez is showing his true colors — and they’re anything but democratic.

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Open-borders activist Vasquez breaks silence on LA illegal alien riots

27 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Open-borders activist Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from New Mexico’s 2nd district, released what can only be called a petulant rant via X post aimed at federal efforts to remove criminal illegal aliens who were actively attacking immigration officers. Vasquez complained that Trump’s decision “turns federal agents and the military against American citizens” and “transforms our streets into war zones,” whining that it establishes a “chilling precedent.” The X post was locked from his constituents commenting, as all his other posts are — a testament to his lack of transparency.

In reality, the deployment of approximately 2,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles under Title 10 authority—an extraordinary step last seen in 1965—was not aimed at ordinary citizens, but at violent insurrectionists. Trump acted in response to criminal alien mobs hurling concrete and rocks at Border Patrol and ICE agents during enforcement actions. These protests escalated into what Trump rightly called “violent, insurrectionist mobs” and a “migrant invasion” as demonstrators attempted to halt deportation operations. Rioters set fires, blew up cars, many of them electric and emitting toxic fumes, and looted local shops and stores in acts of depravity.

Curiously, Vasquez fails to condemn the violence unleashed by these illegal-alien extremists. Instead, he chose to lash out at Trump’s decisive action to protect law enforcement and restore order. The deployment followed riots in downtown Los Angeles, Paramount, and Compton, where protesters set vehicles on fire—including California Highway Patrol and Waymo autonomous cars—and attacked federal officers with bottles and concrete. Over 100 arrests were made amid the chaotic scenes. 

Vasquez’s tantrum comes on the heels of a record of radical open-borders rhetoric catalogued by our previous reporting. He previously dismissed Trump’s border-enforcement measures as a “made-for-TV stunt,” calling them “misguided and wasteful,” even though he acknowledged Trump had reduced illegal entries. He labeled the border wall “racist,” demanded it be “torn down,” and disparaged it as “ineffective,” “costly,” and “a symbol of hate.” He went further, calling border-security efforts “a glorification of xenophobia,” “environmentally destructive,” “massive wastes of money,” and said building walls was “in bad taste.” 

What’s more, he has called for dismantling ICE entirely—accusing it of having “no regard for humanity”—and celebrated when President Biden halted wall construction. Even amid active criminal scenarios, Vasquez smugly declared the “border crisis” a “non-existent threat.”

This isn’t moderate critique or “compassionate reform.” It’s ideological zeal from a lawmaker fixated on optics rather than addressing real threats. Now, Vasquez tries to twist Trump’s actions as targeting citizens, but that’s a straw-man attack. It was aimed squarely at criminal illegal aliens leading insurrectionist violence.

Trump’s response was straightforward: deploying federal forces under a valid Title 10 order, with Marines on standby and National Guard mobilized, not to terrorize citizens, but to protect federal agents from anarchic criminal alien mobs.

Vasquez labeled that necessary enforcement a “war zone,” yet ignores how local L.A. officials, despite so-called “sanctuary status,” warned that federal agents and officers were overwhelmed. Criminal mobs were the ones causing terror, not Trump.

Bottom line: Vasquez isn’t calling for smarter policy—he’s whining because enforcement actually occurred. His open-borders obsession has led him to dismiss violent criminal actions by illegal aliens, ghosting their threats in favor of a partisan narrative. Voters in border districts suffering from cartel trafficking and migrant violence deserve genuine safety, not sanctimonious obsession with tearing down state authority and flattening law enforcement.

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Vasquez brags about voting against ‘Laken Riley Act’ at town hall

29 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez is facing sharp criticism after touting his vote against the Laken Riley Act and attacking President Donald Trump’s immigration policies during an April 16 town hall event.

At the meeting, Vasquez proudly announced his opposition to the legislation, which was signed into law by Trump on January 29. “I did. I voted against [the bill],” Vasquez declared to cheers from the audience. He added, “Because due process is a fundamental part of who we are as Americans,” attempting to frame his opposition as a defense of constitutional rights — despite the clear public safety concerns the bill sought to address.

The Laken Riley Act was crafted following the brutal murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was killed while jogging in Athens, Georgia, by an illegal immigrant. The law requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal aliens arrested or charged with violent crimes, closing dangerous loopholes in immigration enforcement.

Vasquez’s comments did not stop there. He went on to criticize Trump’s deportation policies, specifically lamenting the removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 gang member and illegal immigrant. Vasquez claimed the deportations are “testing and stretching the fabric of our democracy to a place we have never seen before,” suggesting that American citizens could someday face similar removal if Trump’s policies are allowed to continue.

Meanwhile, data released by DHS in March shows Trump’s administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, leading to a 627% increase in monthly arrests compared to the Biden administration’s lax record the year prior. Vasquez’s comments have been picked up in the national press, including by Fox News.

Republicans swiftly pushed back on Vasquez’s stance. Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district includes the largest stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border, defended the Laken Riley Act, telling Fox News Digital, “Border security is a real and lasting issue as a result of four years of inaction under President Biden. That’s why Americans voted for safer communities and to restore law and order, and President Trump is delivering on that promise with legislation like the Laken Riley Act.”

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Zach Bannon also weighed in, slamming Vasquez’s repeated prioritization of illegal immigrants over American citizens. “Time and time again, out-of-touch Democrat Gabe Vasquez chooses to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over the well-being of hardworking New Mexicans,” Bannon said. “He’s completely abandoned common sense, pandering to the radical left while betraying the very people who will vote him out of office next year.”

Abrego Garcia, whom Vasquez defended, had been living in Maryland before his deportation to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) — a facility built to house violent gang members. He was previously pulled over in an SUV tied to another illegal immigrant arrested for human smuggling.

Under Trump’s leadership, immigration enforcement is once again being taken seriously — a sharp contrast to Vasquez’s radical pro-illegal immigration stance.

With public outrage growing over crimes committed by illegal immigrants, Vasquez’s celebration of his vote against the Laken Riley Act may well become a major liability heading into the 2026 election cycle.

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Sketchy Gabe Vasquez declares war on Trump in Trump country

29 Comments / Opinion / By

In New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District — a district President Donald Trump decisively carried in 2024 — far-left Democrat Gabe Vasquez continues to alienate his constituents by doubling down on radical opposition to the president’s commonsense agenda.

Since Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, Vasquez has taken every opportunity to obstruct policies overwhelmingly supported by working Americans. Earlier this year, Vasquez voted against the Laken Riley Act, a commonsense bill requiring the detention of illegal aliens accused of serious crimes. Despite bipartisan support for this basic public safety measure, Vasquez instead sided with open-borders extremists, choosing the interests of criminal aliens over the safety of American citizens.

Worse yet, Vasquez opposed President Trump’s efforts to strengthen election integrity, including legislation to ban non-citizens from voting in local, state, and federal elections. Even though the overwhelming majority of Americans — including many Democrats — support restricting voting rights exclusively to U.S. citizens, Vasquez showed where his loyalties lie: with the radical left, not the voters of southern New Mexico.

At a recent town hall event in Las Cruces, Vasquez launched into a bitter tirade against President Trump, blasting the administration’s “immigration crackdowns” and accusing Trump of promoting “fear and division” — rhetoric more at home in deep blue New York City or Washington, D.C. than in Trump country New Mexico.

His contempt for the president is especially clear in his unhinged fundraising emails.

In two recent blasts to his donor list, Vasquez ranted about Trump’s investigation into ActBlue, the Democrat fundraising giant facing mounting scrutiny for suspected widespread fraud. In one email, Vasquez seethed:

“Donald Trump just signed a memorandum targeting ActBlue — the grassroots fundraising platform that powers nearly every Democratic campaign in the country — in an attempt to shut it down… Trump knows that grassroots movements like ours are the only thing standing between him and total control.”

Rather than addressing the credible allegations of financial misconduct surrounding ActBlue — including concerns about illicit foreign donations and donor fraud — Vasquez played the victim, calling Trump’s efforts to safeguard campaign finance laws an “attack” and a “rigging of the system.”

In another desperate appeal, Vasquez went even further, lashing out at Trump’s economic policies and bizarrely blaming the president for New Mexico’s economic woes:

“Trump’s economic policies are a disaster for the country and the world… Instead, they’re falling in line and remaining silent. They are letting Trump drag our economy into chaos.”

Vasquez even bragged about teaming up with radical leftist Senator Cory Booker to introduce legislation targeting private companies like those owned by Elon Musk — a transparent publicity stunt that does nothing to help New Mexico’s struggling farmers and ranchers.

For a man representing a district that overwhelmingly voted for President Trump, Vasquez’s nonstop hostility toward the administration is nothing short of political malpractice. Instead of working with President Trump to secure the border, lower inflation, and restore law and order, Vasquez seems more concerned with playing resistance warrior for a Washington, D.C. donor class out of touch with New Mexican values.

With his reckless and sketchy voting record, repeated attacks on the president, and open disdain for his own constituents’ priorities, Gabe Vasquez is making it clear: he’s not interested in representing the people of southern New Mexico — he’s only interested in fighting Trump at every turn.

Voters will remember.

John Block represents New Mexico House District 51 — Alamogordo — in the state Legislature. He is the founder and editor of the Piñon Post — New Mexico’s #1 online conservative news source.

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Vasquez once again sides with criminal aliens in latest move

34 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), a far-leftist in Congress, is once again attacking commonsense border protections—this time railing against President Donald Trump’s directive to establish a military buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border from California through New Mexico.

In a statement issued Monday, Vasquez called the strategic deployment of military assets to secure the Roosevelt Reservation—a federally controlled strip of land 60 feet wide running the length of the border from California to New Mexico—“misguided and wasteful,” dismissing the President’s action as a “made-for-TV stunt.” His full-throated opposition comes even as his own district, located in New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, includes numerous border communities grappling daily with illegal crossings, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.

Despite these serious threats, Vasquez continues to undermine efforts to restore control at the border. He bizarrely claimed that Trump’s move comes “during a record time of low crossing numbers” — thanks to the President’s actions to protect the homeland, unlike his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Vasquez’s hostility toward border security is nothing new. He has consistently taken fringe positions aligned with open-borders activists. On his official Twitter account, Vasquez denounced the border wall as “racist” and called for it to be “torn down,” declaring: “Let’s tear it down. The wall is not only ineffective and costly—it is a symbol of hate. It’s time for a new approach rooted in compassion and real solutions.”

In the same post, Vasquez accused border enforcement infrastructure of being “a symbol of hate,” further cementing his record of prioritizing inflammatory rhetoric over practical solutions. This is despite overwhelming evidence that fencing, surveillance, and manpower are key deterrents to illegal border crossings and criminal enterprise along the U.S.-Mexico corridor.

The far-left congressman also has repeatedly voted against banning criminal aliens from voting in U.S. elections — further cementing his push to promote illegal immigration into the country. 

Vasquez’s open-borders language and continued embrace of policies that weaken U.S. sovereignty paint a troubling picture. At a time when border communities are overwhelmed, and national security threats loom large, Vasquez appears more concerned with political theater and virtue signaling than with protecting his own constituents. His repeated rejection of efforts to strengthen America’s borders not only puts New Mexicans at risk—it betrays the very oath he took as a member of Congress.

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SOS Toulouse Oliver freaks out as U.S. House passes key election integrity bill

40 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The U.S. House of Representatives made a decisive move this week to protect the integrity of American elections by passing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that ensures only U.S. citizens are allowed to register and vote in federal elections. Despite bipartisan support for the common-sense measure, all three of New Mexico’s Democrat representatives—Teresa Leger Fernández, Melanie Stansbury, and Gabe Vasquez—voted against the bill, aligning themselves with far-left opposition rather than standing up for election integrity.

The SAVE Act mandates that individuals provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections—an overwhelming majority of Americans believe this requirement already exists. Shockingly, in many states, including New Mexico, voter registration processes do not require verified documentation of citizenship, leaving gaping holes in the system that could be exploited.

Yet, instead of praising this step toward greater public confidence in elections, prominent New Mexico Democrats erupted in outrage.

“Rest assured, I am a definite NO on the SAVE Act,” wrote U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, telegraphing his opposition before the Senate even considers the bill.

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver issued a lengthy statement criticizing the legislation, calling it a threat to voter accessibility. “This legislation would impose stringent proof-of-citizenship requirements that threaten to disenfranchise many eligible voters in our state,” she said, suggesting erroneously that the bill would harm Native Americans, rural voters, and women who’ve changed their names after marriage.

Oliver also made the dubious claim that noncitizen voting is “exceedingly rare,” calling the bill “a solution in search of a problem.” However, recent polling and investigations have shown growing concerns among Americans over the possibility of voter fraud, particularly in states with lax voter registration requirements. The SAVE Act directly addresses those concerns by closing loopholes and reinforcing the principle that U.S. elections should be decided by U.S. citizens—nothing more, nothing less.

Most notably, freshman Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who faces a tough reelection battle in a battleground district, is now on record opposing a bill to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections. This position may prove politically toxic as Vasquez’s Republican challenger is certain to hammer him for putting partisan politics over secure elections.

While Democrats like Heinrich, Oliver, and Vasquez paint the bill as draconian, many Americans view the SAVE Act as a much-needed, commonsense safeguard. It’s no wonder the bill passed with bipartisan support. In an era where trust in elections has waned, requiring proof of citizenship to vote is a rational and fair way to help restore faith in the system.

New Mexico voters, especially those in competitive districts, may want to ask themselves: Why are their elected officials so afraid of proving citizenship at the ballot box?

With the SAVE Act now headed to the U.S. Senate, the spotlight turns to Sens. Heinrich and Luján. Will they continue to side with fringe voices, or will they stand up for the sanctity of American elections?

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Vasquez claims it’s racist to criticize his extreme far-left record

49 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

In a recent Roll Call interview, New Mexico Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez attempted to reframe growing criticism of his radical political record, claiming it stems from his identity as a “Hispanic male.” He told the publication, “They used misinformation to paint me as an extremist,” adding, “I think so much of that was really … them wanting to discredit me as a Hispanic male.”

But as scrutiny of his positions intensifies, the facts show Vasquez is far from the moderate image he attempts to portray — instead aligning himself with some of the most extreme factions in Congress on issues ranging from border security to energy policy.

Vasquez represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District — a vast, working-class, majority Latino district in the southern and western part of the state that President Trump carried in 2024. Yet despite the district’s conservative lean, Vasquez has toed the party line with shocking consistency. According to Roll Call, “a CQ Roll Call analysis of his 2024 voting record found that on votes that split the parties, Vasquez stuck with House Democrats 87.2 percent of the time.” Even more strikingly, “on House votes on which President Joe Biden took a position, Vasquez sided with him 91.7 percent of the time.” Only 57 House Democrats voted with Biden more often.

That makes Vasquez one of the most extreme partisan members in a seat that is supposed to be one of the most competitive in the country. And despite running as a “moderate,” his record tells a different story.

Vasquez has attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and called to dismantle the southern border wall. “Time to take down the wall that’s been financed and is being constructed with illegal funds,” he said in a now-deleted tweet. He has harshly criticized law enforcement agencies charged with border security, all while falsely claiming to be a pragmatist on immigration.

His views on energy are no less radical. While the 2nd District is home to the oil- and gas-rich Permian Basin — one of the largest energy-producing regions in the world — Vasquez has aligned himself with Green New Deal-style policies that threaten the livelihoods of thousands. Although he has occasionally paid lip service to oilfield jobs, his consistent support for environmental restrictions and climate change mandates sends a clear message. Roll Call quoted him saying: “I’m not here to take any of that away. What I am here to do is to say, ‘How can we do this better? How can we do this cleaner?’” — a phrase that many in the industry view as code for more regulations and fewer jobs.

In addition to his troubling policy stances, Vasquez’s personal history also includes legal red flags. He failed to appear in court for driving without a license, resulting in an outstanding arrest warrant that remained active for over a decade until March 2024 — after he was elected to Congress. This negligence raises questions about his respect for the law and accountability.

On gun rights, Vasquez has also taken a far-left turn. After a shooting in Las Cruces, he used the tragedy to call for sweeping federal gun control laws, including mandatory gun storage laws that many believe violate Second Amendment protections.

While Roll Call portrays him as trying to avoid “conflict with Republicans or folks who voted for Trump,” Vasquez undermines his own case with his hyper-partisan voting record and out-of-step positions. Still, he blames Republican attacks on his background: “They used misinformation to paint me as an extremist,” he told Roll Call, adding, “I think so much of that was really… them wanting to discredit me as a Hispanic male.”

But in a district that has flipped five times since 2008 and was carried by Donald Trump in 2024, voters are less likely to be concerned about Vasquez’s ethnicity than his record of extremism. With the National Republican Congressional Committee targeting the seat in 2026 and local GOP leaders calling the district “definitely flippable,” Vasquez’s far-left record may prove politically toxic.

As Roll Call notes, “The strategy that Vasquez should take as a Democrat in a Trump district would be exactly what he’s doing: filtering out the national scandals and focusing on what he can do for [his] constituents.” Yet, with his policies consistently aligned with the most progressive elements in Washington, voters in New Mexico’s 2nd District may soon decide that what Vasquez is doing is not what they want.

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