U.S. Attorney for New Mexico resigns at Trump's request - By Colleen Heild, Albuquerque Journal
The top federal prosecutor leading the ongoing investigation into a sprawling public corruption scheme involving the dismissal of hundreds of DWI cases in New Mexico has been terminated.
U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, Alexander Uballez, said he received notice of his firing by the Trump administration in his personal email account Monday afternoon. That came after he was stripped of his government cellphone and computer access last Friday without prior notice or explanation. He is among more than 20 other holdovers who were asked to step down as U.S. Attorneys.
His removal by the Trump administration wasn't a surprise, given the fact that U.S. Attorneys are political appointees. As a longtime state and federal prosecutor, he was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022.
"Today, I say farewell to a Department that I love," Uballez said in a statement. "Together we have made our community safer by delivering swift and certain justice to the most prolific violent offenders, human and drug traffickers, and child abusers. We have saved lives by intervening to prevent violence and by supporting those who strive to return to our community from incarceration."
"Most importantly," Uballez stated, "We fought to build a community united in the pursuit of justice for all by choosing prevention before punishment, delivering consequences but not indignity, and seeking redemption not isolation."
In a statement Monday, Raul Bujanda,FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque field office, praised Uballez as an "incredible partner in our mission to protect the American public. There is no doubt his work has made a positive impact on our community."
In New Mexico, the U.S. Attorney's office oversees immigration enforcement and prosecutes certain crimes aimed at reducing violent crime and protecting Native American communities.
But about 16 months after he was confirmed by the Senate in May 2022, Uballez opened an inquiry into one of the largest public corruption schemes to hit New Mexico. The evidence later showed, the criminal operation eluded detection for nearly 30 years.
The massive FBI investigation initially focused on allegations that officers with the Albuquerque Police Department's DWI unit were intentionally missing court and withholding evidence. The officers were working with Albuquerque lawyer Thomas Clear to get his clients' charges thrown out. In return, according to guilty pleas received so far, the officers received cash, gifts and even a set of tires.
As the inquiry progressed, the allegations of wrongdoing spread to DWI officers with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department and the New Mexico State Police. Prosecutors court filings also mention at least one other DWI attorney involved in the scheme, which dated back to the mid-1990s.
At Uballez's urging, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office in January 2024 eventually dismissed more than 200 pending DWI cases involving the officers because their credibility might be at issue. There's been no estimate as to how many DWI suspects' cases were dismissed or never filed as a result of the scheme dubbed the "DWI Enterprise" by federal prosecutors.
So far, Clear, his law firm's investigator, and three former APD officers have pleaded guilty to bribery and racketeering charges, with Uballez just last week declaring the investigation would continue.
"....We are not done digging," he said at the time, and in an apparent message to others not yet indicted, Uballez added, "Now is the time to come clean -- if you were ever involved in this deceit, now is the time to come to the table."
Uballez said his departure shouldn't affect the ongoing prosecution of additional law enforcement officers and others involved in what has been dubbed the "DWI Enterprise." In a Journal interview, he noted that his office's career staff is not changing. His h first assistant U.S. attorney Holland Kastrin is now serving as acting U.S. Attorney. There was no word on who the Trump administration will nominate as the next U.S. Attorney for New Mexico.
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque field office, Raul Bujanda, praised Uballez as an "incredible partner in our mission to protect the American public. There is no doubt his work has made a positive impact on our community."
NM House passes public safety package - By Source New Mexico
On Saturday, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed a six-bill package of public safety legislation on a 48-20 vote, sending the bills to the Senate.
House Bill 8 includes several components, including: enhanced penalties for fentanyl trafficking; increased fourth-degree felony charge for making a shooting threat; criminalization for possession of a weapon conversion device; increased penalties for vehicle thefts; legislation to make it easier for police to conduct blood tests in DWI cases; and a controversial criminal competency bill that prompted criticism last week from a coalition of community organizations, which described said the package of legislation “focuses on new crimes, increased punishments, and forced hospitalization.”
Following the House passage, its co-sponsors and House leaders released statements lauding their work. “We are taking a thoughtful, holistic approach to make New Mexicans safer,” Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque), co-sponsor of the competency legislation, said. “This public safety package will help us address the pressing issues facing our communities today, and our investments in behavioral healthcare, housing, prevention, and treatment will help us to tackle the root causes of crime.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who traveled the state in advance of the session building support for her public safety agenda, also released a statement following the House package, which she described as “a first step towards ensuring accountability for criminals and updating our criminal competency and civil commitment procedures. While it is an important step forward, our work isn’t finished. I urge the Legislature to advance the remaining public safety bills. Each day that passes without action means more people get hurt and neighborhoods suffer. Get these public safety bills to my desk now—our communities deserve real protection, not more excuses. I will not stop until New Mexicans feel safe.”
Other crime bills still making their way through the legislative process include House Bill 12, which makes changes to the state’s extreme firearm protection law, as well as bills related to human trafficking, behavioral health and crime victims, among others.
Prior to the session, House Democrats previewed their public safety agenda, which also includes a a $200 million toward expanding the state’s behavioral healthcare infrastructure, which the Senate passed on Friday and will now proceed through the House committee process.
“We promised to work closely with our colleagues in the Senate to develop well-vetted solutions to the public safety and behavioral health challenges facing our state and we are delivering on that promise,” Speaker of the House Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) said in a statement over the weekend. “By working together to pass good legislation, rather than trying to score political points, we can make our communities safer and ensure that New Mexicans who are struggling can get the help they need.”
Senate approves behavioral health package on bipartisan vote, sends bills to House - By Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
A sweeping plan to overhaul New Mexico’s mental health and substance abuse treatment system is headed to the state House with bipartisan momentum.
The Senate voted Friday to approve three bills establishing a new behavioral health trust fund and requiring regional plans for crisis triage units, mobile responders and more.
The package of bills, Senate Bills 1, 2 and 3, passed with broad support, two of them on 37-5 votes and the third on a similar 37-4 vote. Most of the “no” votes were cast by Republican senators.
“This is a huge change from the way we’ve done things in the past,” said Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, during Friday’s debate.
This year’s push comes more than a decade after former Gov. Susana Martinez upended New Mexico’s behavioral system in 2013, freezing Medicaid funding to 15 providers over fraud and overbilling. All the accused providers were later cleared of wrongdoing.
Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho, said the Martinez administration had “decimated” the state’s behavioral health system, a claim many Democratic lawmakers have also made in recent years.
“Today, we’re here to do what’s right to fix a problem,” Block said.
Behavioral health has emerged as a key issue during the 60-day legislative session that will reach its halfway point next week, as lawmakers look for ways to reduce violent crime, homelessness and drug use.
New Mexico has one of the nation’s highest suicide rates, and more than one-third of state residents reported anxiety or a depressive disorder in 2023, according to Kaiser Family Foundation data.
During Friday’s debate, several senators spoke about their own families’ experiences with mental health and addiction issues.
Sen. Martin Hickey, D-Albuquerque, mentioned his children’s sobriety struggles, saying, “Rare is a family that doesn’t have this, and it cuts across all spectrums.”
Sen. Liz Stefanics, D-Cerrillos, estimated half of New Mexicans will at some point come into contact with the state’s behavioral health system, either due to mental health or substance abuse issues.
“We know there’s a vast population,” Stefanics said.
GOVERNOR LARGELY ON BOARD WITH PLAN
Under the plan approved Friday, the state judiciary would take on a larger role in approving regional behavioral health plans, while the state Health Care Authority would remain in charge of overseeing funding.
That would be a significant change from the current system, which largely falls under the executive branch’s jurisdiction.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently expressed misgivings about the judicial branch’s readiness to shoulder a heavier oversight role.
But the Governor’s Office indicated Friday those concerns have largely been resolved after negotiations with legislators and Supreme Court Chief Justice David Thomson.
Meanwhile, some changes were also made to the behavioral health package before the full Senate vote, including removing a $1 billion appropriation for the new proposed trust fund.
Money for the new fund is now expected to be provided in a separate budget bill during this year’s 60-day session, though Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said it’s unlikely the appropriation will end up hitting the $1 billion mark this year.
While most senators expressed support for the trust fund plan, Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said the money should be put to work now instead of set aside for future use.
“We have a permanent income stream — it’s called taxes,” Maestas said.
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT GRADUALLY CULTIVATED
The push to reshape New Mexico’s behavioral health system has created unlikely political partnerships, including Block working with Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, on amendments to the package.
In addition, the chamber’s Democratic and Republican floor leaders — Wirth and Sen. William Sharer of Farmington — teamed up on one of the bills in the package.
Work on the package began in earnest after a special session called last year by Lujan Grisham ended with the Democratic-controlled Legislature largely ignoring the governor’s crime-focused agenda.
Several legislators, staffers and city leaders traveled to Miami last year, along with behavioral health advocates, to tour a Miami-Dade County diversion program that has drawn accolades for its success.
Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, cited those site visits on the Senate floor Friday, saying the state has seen little return after spending almost $2.4 billion on behavioral health programs over the last three years.
In addition, the state’s behavioral health collaborative has not met in over one year and does not have an appointed director.
“We haven’t seen the needle move ... we haven’t seen that change in New Mexico,” Muñoz said.
He and other senators said the new approach holds promise in a state with high rates of poverty, drug overdose deaths and mental illness.
Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma Pueblo, said those problems are particularly acute among the state’s Native American population.
“With the passage of this legislation, I can go home and look my people in the eye and tell them resources are coming,” said Charley.
Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal - By Tara Copp And Anthony Izaguirre Associated Press
The Trump administration has halted the firings of hundreds of federal employees who were tasked with working on the nation's nuclear weapons programs, in an about-face that has left workers confused and experts cautioning that DOGE's blind cost cutting will put communities at risk.
Three U.S. officials who spoke to The Associated Press said up to 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were abruptly laid off late Thursday, with some losing access to email before they'd learned they were fired, only to try to enter their offices on Friday morning to find they were locked out. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
One of the hardest hit offices was the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, which saw about 30% of the cuts. Those employees work on reassembling warheads, one of the most sensitive jobs across the nuclear weapons enterprise, with the highest levels of clearance.
The hundreds let go at NNSA were part of a DOGE purge across the Department of Energy that targeted about 2,000 employees.
"The DOGE people are coming in with absolutely no knowledge of what these departments are responsible for," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, referencing Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency team. "They don't seem to realize that it's actually the department of nuclear weapons more than it is the Department of Energy."
By late Friday night, the agency's acting director, Teresa Robbins, issued a memo rescinding the firings for all but 28 of those hundreds of fired staff members.
"This letter serves as formal notification that the termination decision issued to you on Feb. 13, 2025 has been rescinded, effective immediately," said the memo, which was obtained by the AP.
The accounts from the three officials contradict an official statement from the Department of Energy, which said fewer than 50 National Nuclear Security Administration staffers were let go, calling them "probationary employees" who "held primarily administrative and clerical roles."
But that wasn't the case. The firings prompted one NNSA senior staffer to post a warning and call to action.
"This is a pivotal moment. We must decide whether we are truly committed to leading on the world stage or if we are content with undermining the very systems that secure our nation's future," deputy division director Rob Plonski posted to LinkedIn. "Cutting the federal workforce responsible for these functions may be seen as reckless at best and adversarily opportunistic at worst."
While some of the Energy Department employees who were fired dealt with energy efficiency and the effects of climate change, issues not seen as priorities by the Trump administration, many others dealt with nuclear issues, even if they didn't directly work on weapons programs. This included managing massive radioactive waste sites and ensuring the material there doesn't further contaminate nearby communities.
That incudes the Savannah River National Laboratory in Jackson, South Carolina; the Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington state, where workers secure 177 high-level waste tanks from the site's previous work producing plutonium for the atomic bomb; and the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee, a Superfund contamination site where much of the early work on the Manhattan Project was done, among others.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, both Democrats, called the firings last week "utterly callous and dangerous."
The NNSA staff who had been reinstated could not all be reached after they were fired, and some were reconsidering whether to return to work, given the uncertainty created by DOGE.
Many federal employees who had worked on the nation's nuclear programs had spent their entire careers there, and there was a wave of retirements in recent years that cost the agency years of institutional knowledge.
But it's now in the midst of a major $750 billion nuclear weapons modernization effort — including new land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, new stealth bombers and new submarine-launched warheads. In response, the labs have aggressively hired over the past few years: In 2023, 60% of the workforce had been there five years or less.
Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the firings could disrupt the day-to-day workings of the agency and create a sense of instability over the nuclear program both at home and abroad.
"I think the signal to U.S. adversaries is pretty clear: throw a monkey wrench in the whole national security apparatus and cause disarray," he said. "That can only benefit the adversaries of this country."
Lawmakers weigh new state housing laws, as New Mexico's dwelling shortage worsens - Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico has long left housing rules up to local governments.
But amid surging housing prices, a shortage of rental units and an increase in the state's homeless population, that could soon change.
Legislation filed at the Roundhouse would preempt municipal and county restrictions on zoning, parking restrictions and legal appeals with the aim of paving the way for more multifamily housing developments.
Sen. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, D-Albuquerque, who has filed four housing-focused bills, said it's time for the state to flex its muscles when it comes to development and growth.
"Policymakers need to decide if we want to grow this economy and confront generational poverty, or if we want to remain poor given certain powerful individuals' selfish wants and desires," Maestas told the Journal.
A recent report by Pew Charitable Trusts found restrictive regulations are exacerbating New Mexico's housing shortage and driving housing prices up.
Specifically, the report found median rents in New Mexico increased by 60% from October 2017 to October 2024 — more than double the national rate of 27% during that time period.
In addition, prices for housing climbed even more rapidly, with the average home price rising to $330,900 in Albuquerque and even higher in Santa Fe.
Alex Horowitz, one of the report's authors, said New Mexico is one of only a few western states that has not enacted new statewide housing policies dealing with land use, permitting and building codes in recent years.
He also said New Mexico's homebuilding rate has lagged behind the national rate, contributing to the state's housing shortage.
"New Mexico has been a seller's market for a long time now," Horowitz told the Journal.
Rising housing prices are also directly connected to homelessness, he said, citing an increase in New Mexico's chronically unhoused population from over the last seven years.
Federal data shows the number of people without homes in New Mexico jumped by 87% from 2017 to 2024 — more than double the national increase over the seven-year period.
Daniel Werwath, the housing policy adviser for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, said the Governor's Office is open to the bills filed by Maestas, which are among more than a dozen housing-related proposals pending at the Roundhouse.
New Mexico is one of just five states with a declining number of new building permits being issued, Werwath said, while adding that it takes much longer and costs more to build new housing developments in Santa Fe than in most other locations.
"I think at the very least, they're going to start some conversations on this," Werwath said, referring to the statewide housing bills.
PAST EFFORTS TO FIX HOUSING SHORTAGE
New Mexico lawmakers have taken some steps already to try to address the state's housing crunch.
A housing trust fund created in 2005 provides funding for statewide affordable housing projects, and lawmakers last year approved a $50 million infusion for the fund.
However, Horowitz said money alone has not been shown to be effective in reducing housing prices or addressing a shortage of rental units.
He also said policies such as bans on investor-owned properties and restrictions on rent increases have shown limited effectiveness in changing underlying housing trends.
For his part, Maestas said he believes local zoning restrictions have contributed to the state's stagnant economic and population growth in recent years, along with the increase in homelessness.
"The housing shortage and the homeless issues back home have put zoning ordinances on the table here in Santa Fe," Maestas said.
"We have our best and brightest young people leaving to work and live elsewhere, and yet we still have not undone these policies that contribute to that phenomenon," he added.
However, the push to preempt local restrictions on building heights, minimum parking mandates and limits on building casitas and other secondary dwelling units is likely to draw opposition at the Roundhouse.
Neighborhood groups have actively fought new developments in Albuquerque and Santa Fe in recent years, citing concerns related to blocking the viewshed, urban sprawl and increased traffic.
In response, Maestas cited a recent Massachusetts study that found individuals who speak about housing projects at public meetings tend to be disproportionately white, older male homeowners compared to the general population.
Lujan Grisham also highlighted the Pew report this month, saying it showed how "outdated regulations" are contributing to New Mexico's challenges with housing affordability and homelessness.
The Democratic governor is pushing once again during this year's 60-day session for legislation creating a state office of housing planning to focus on systemic housing issues.
Lujan Grisham last year used her executive authority to create such an office, but is still urging lawmakers to approve the legislation, Senate Bill 205, so that it would be enshrined in state law.
LOCAL PUSH FOR SCALED-BACK RESTRICTIONS
Efforts to ease housing restrictions have already been playing out in city halls and county commission buildings around New Mexico, with limited success.
Albuquerque city councilors last month passed a bill that allows duplexes, townhouses and multifamily housing along certain heavily traveled parts of the city.
That ordinance, which also eliminated administrative appeals for projects on city-owned property and set new location-based requirements for appeals targeting new developments, drew fierce criticism from at least one neighborhood association.
Andrea Calderón, the board president of the Albuquerque Affordable Housing Coalition, said some of the bills proposed at the Roundhouse align with the coalition's goals.
But she also cautioned that some of the statewide policy proposals that might benefit Albuquerque could cause issues in other parts of New Mexico.
"While we want denser infill development in Albuquerque and more units per square foot, we understand the need for rural communities to maintain their character and viewshed," Calderón said.
She also said a bill that would give local governments eminent domain power to pursue development projects in certain designated areas could face particular opposition, citing the possibility of such a law being used to condemn existing homes to build a new sports stadium.
New Mexico House to consider strengthening cannabis regulation - Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
Part of the New Mexico House of Representatives’ agenda going into the weekend is a proposal by the state’s cannabis regulator to gain the ability to police bad actors in the cannabis industry.
House Bill 10 would create a new police agency under the state’s insurance regulator to enforce state cannabis laws. It received unanimous approval from the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee on Feb. 3 and the House Judiciary Committee on Monday.
House Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) told the judiciary committee on Monday he’s concerned about illicit cannabis harming the legal cannabis industry.
New Mexico legalized medical cannabis in 2007 and recreational cannabis in 2021. Martínez said local police departments and the Cannabis Control Division, part of the state Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD), lack the capacity to oversee illicit cannabis operations.
“I believe that had we had this in our original bill, it would have actually helped RLD go after these folks in much more efficient, effective and impactful ways,” Martínez said.
The bill would expand the division’s powers to include restricting the movement of cannabis products suspected of being adulterated or dangerously or fraudulently misbranded.
RLD Superintendent Clay Bailey told the committee the bad actors “just ignore us.”
“We go in, we tell them what we’ve got, tell them to stop doing their business, and they won’t stop,” he said. “We’ve tried everything in the world.”
The bill proposes the creation of an enforcement bureau that would be attached to the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance and would investigate alleged illegal cannabis operations; search for, seize or embargo illicit cannabis; and make arrests.
The bill would also allow the Cannabis Control Division to conduct announced or unannounced inspections of licensed cannabis producers and retailers.
The bill is also sponsored by Minority Floor Leader Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena), and Reps. Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces), Marian Matthews (D-Albuquerque) and Art De La Cruz (D-Albuquerque).
LANL suspends DEI and climate programs and removes website material – Santa Fe New Mexican
Los Alamos National Laboratory has suspended programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as climate change in the wake of President Trump’s executive orders.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports LANL has also removed issues of its magazine that cover these topics. Internal communications obtained by the paper said two of Trump’s orders relate to DEI and also affirmative action programs, so the lab is ending those.
A memo signed by lab director Thom Mason noted LANL is “reviewing all policies, procedures, communications, and activities to ensure that our strategies and initiatives comply with federal directives.”
The memo also refers to the executive order that prohibits federal dollars from being used to promote “gender ideology.”
Mason’s memo also stated that LANL has received guidance to suspend climate change, sustainability and carbon-neutral energy programs. A statement from LANL said removal of some website content isn’t permanent.
The New Mexican reports one of the president’s executive orders calls for the end of equity-related grants and the enforcement of DEI and accessibility requirements for federal contractors.
Texas measles outbreak rises to 48 cases. It's the state's worst in nearly 30 years - By Sean Murphy and Devi Shastri, Associated Press
The ongoing measles outbreak in West Texas has doubled in size to 48 cases, mostly in children and teens, making it the state's worst in nearly 30 years.
State health officials said Friday in a news release that those who are infected are either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown. Thirteen people have been hospitalized.
The cases have been concentrated in a "close-knit, undervaccinated" Mennonite community, Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Lara Anton said. Gaines County is highly rural, so many of the families send their children to small private schools or are homeschooled, Anton said.
"The church isn't the reason that they're not vaccinated," Anton said. "It's all personal choice and you can do whatever you want. It's just that the community doesn't go and get regular health care."
Anton said the state is working with local health officials to increase screening and vaccination efforts. Health officials are also working to educate school officials on identifying measles symptoms and encouraging families to vaccinate their kids.
The outbreak is in a sparsely populated swath of rural Texas, near the New Mexico border, and has spread from its epicenter in Gaines County to include single-digit cases in Lynn, Terry and Yoakum counties.
One case was reported in Lea County, New Mexico, where residents were alerted Tuesday to a measles case in an unvaccinated teenager. The New Mexico Department of Health said the teen had no recent travel or exposure to known cases from the Texas outbreak.
Texas Department of State Health Services data shows there were 49 cases of measles in Texas in 1996. In 2013, there were 27 cases reported after a person who traveled to Asia returned and interacted with a vaccine-hesitant community, the state reported.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, the U.S. saw some 3 million to 4 million cases per year. Now, it's usually fewer than 200 in a normal year.
The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60.
Vaccination against measles, a two-shot series, is required for most U.S. kindergarteners in order for them to enroll in public school.
Texas law allows children to get an exemption from school vaccines for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. The percentage of kids with exemptions has risen over the last decade from 0.76% in 2014 to 2.32% last year, according to state data.
Gaines County has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year. Health officials say that number is likely higher because it doesn't include many children who are homeschooled and whose data would not be reported.
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