Thousands gather in New Mexico for the largest powwow in North America - By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
Thousands of people are gathering in New Mexico for a celebration showcasing Native American and Indigenous dancers, musicians and artisans from around the world.
Billed by organizers as the largest powwow in North America, the annual Gathering of Nations festival kicks off Friday with a colorful procession of dancers spiraling into the center of an arena at the New Mexico state fairgrounds. Participants wear elaborate regalia adorned with jingling bells and dance to the tempo of rhythmic drumming.
The event also features the crowning of Miss Indian World, as well as horse parades in which riders are judged on the craftsmanship of their intricately beaded adornments or feathered headdresses and how well they work with their horses.
Powwow roots
Powwows are a relatively modern phenomenon that emerged in the 1800s as the U.S. government seized land from tribes throughout the Northern and Southern Plains. Forced migrations and upheaval during this period resulted in intertribal solidarity among Plains people and those from the southern prairies of Canada.
Alliances were formed, giving way to the exchange of songs and dances during gatherings between different tribes. In the decades that followed, powwows were advertised to pioneers heading westward as "authentic" Native American dance shows. For some, it was an exploitation of their cultures.
The word powwow was derived from pau wau, an Algonquian Narrtick word for "medicine man," according to the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Scholars say English settlers misused the word to refer to the meetings of medicine men and later to any kind of Native American gathering.
Today, some of the large powwows like the Gathering of Nations have become more commercialized events that use dancing and drumming competitions with big prize money to provide a glimpse into Indigenous cultures.
Reconnecting with culture
At ceremonial dances, participants wear traditional regalia specific to their tribe, whereas powwow attire often is more contemporary and flashy with sequins and sparkles. It's about dressing to impress the judges, said Warren Queton, a Kiowa Tribe legislator and adjunct instructor at the University of Oklahoma who has participated in community dancing and cultural events since he was a boy.
Queton, who served as the head gourd dancer at the university's recent spring powwow, said ceremonial dances are deeply rooted in community, identity and cultural values.
It's a struggle to keep traditional cultural practices and commercial powwows from being lumped into the same category, he said. They have very different meanings in Native American and Indigenous cultures.
There has been a focus on promoting smaller powwows held in tribal communities. Queton said these gatherings serve as a way for people who live elsewhere to return home and reconnect with their families and the land, and to share traditions with younger generations.
"Knowing where you come from, your land, your oral traditions, your language, but also values and traits — that can only be learned from a community," he said. "That's why those smaller dances are so important because people learn those community values. They're all a part of our identity."
Capturing good energy
There still are elements of tradition woven into modern powwows. Competitors wear feathered bustles, buckskin dresses, fringed shawls and beaded head and hair pieces. Some of the elaborate outfits are hand-stitched designs that can take months to complete.
The sounds, movements and emotions that radiate from the dancing are challenging to capture on canvas. But Cochiti Pueblo painter Mateo Romero did just that when he partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to create a series of powwow stamps to be unveiled Friday during Gathering of Nations.
Powerfully hypnotic, atavistic and somatic is how the artist describes the dancing. One of his pieces depicts what is known as a fancy shawl dance with its dips, pivots, hops and twirls. Each tassel on the shawl flows and flips, accentuating the dancer's movements.
Romero said he used color, thick and thin paint and soft and hard edges along with photographic elements to create something that feels alive, embedded with feeling and bright pops of color.
Romero called it a huge honor to transform powwow culture into a postage stamp filled with "good energy."
"I look at it as a sort of vehicle to express this sentiment, the energy, the celebration, the vibration, the beauty of it," he said. "It's the power of it."
Two NM metropolitan areas rank in the top 25 most polluted - Hannah Grover, New Mexico Political Report
Major cities in New Mexico continue to struggle with ozone levels. Both the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Los Alamos metropolitan statistical area and the El Paso-Las Cruces metropolitan statistical area are ranked in the top most polluted cities in terms of ozone on this year’s State of the Air Report.The American Lung Association released its annual report Wednesday. The Albuquerque and Santa Fe region ranked 22nd on the list of worst ozone pollution and the Las Cruces area ranked 18th.
Cities in the southwest are more likely to rank high for ozone pollution due to the abundant sunlight. Ozone forms when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight. High levels of ozone can worsen conditions like asthma and respiratory diseases.
The top three cities on the list for worst air pollution are in southern California. The Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona area ranks number four on the list.
The State of the Air report looks at ozone and particulate matter based on data available through air quality monitors. The report analyzes a three year period of time. This year’s report looked at the years 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Because the State of the Air report only examines metropolitan statistical areas, not every community in New Mexico receives a grade or is ranked. The State of the Air report gives some counties letter grades based on the air pollution. Data is also not always available for every county in New Mexico. For example, San Juan County — which once ranked as having the cleanest air in the country in terms of particulate matter — no longer has data available about levels of particulate matter. San Juan County has a history of high ozone levels and this year was given an “F” grade on the report.
Other counties that received “F” grades for ozone include Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Eddy and Lea.
Rio Arriba, Santa Fe and Valencia counties received “B” grades on the report and Sandoval County received a “C” grade. No county in New Mexico was given an “A.”
When it comes to particulate matter, only five counties had data available. Bernalillo and Doña Ana counties both received “F” grades while Lea, Santa Fe and Taos counties were given “B” grades.
According to the report, despite efforts to reduce air pollution, more people are living in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution. About 46 percent of Americans, or 156.1 million people, live in places that received failing grades on this year’s report.
Communities of color are more likely to live in areas with unhealthy air and are also more likely to experience chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease that make them more vulnerable to that air pollution, the report states.
This year, the Midwest and Plains states stretching down into Texas were the hardest hit region in terms of ozone pollution due to wildfires in Canada in 2023 and high temperatures. That part of the country saw the largest change in ozone levels. The Tulsa, Oklahoma area jumped from 31st worst in the country in terms of ozone pollution to 19th on the list.
The US has nearly 900 measles cases, and 10 states have active outbreaks. Here's what to know- Associated Press
With one-fifth of states seeing active measles outbreaks, the U.S. is nearing 900 cases, according to figures posted Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC's confirmed measles cases count is 884, triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The vast majority — 646 — are in Texas, where an outbreak in the western part of the state that's approaching the three-month mark.
Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children died from measles-related illnesses in the epicenter in West Texas, and an adult in New Mexico who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.
Other states with active outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 1,020 cases from mid-October through Wednesday. And as of Friday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 605 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.
As the virus takes hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates, health experts fear the virus that the spread could stretch on for a year. Here's what else you need to know about measles in the U.S.
How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas state health officials said Friday there were 22 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to 646 across 26 counties — most of them in West Texas. Hospitalizations were steady Friday at 64 throughout the outbreak.
State health officials estimated about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.
Sixty-one percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 393 cases since late January — just over 1.5% of the county's residents.
The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February — Kennedy said age 6.
New Mexico announced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s total to 66. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.
State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported a measles-related death in an adult on March 6.
How many cases are there in Indiana?
Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday.
How many cases are there in Kansas?
Kansas was steady this week with 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state. Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton counties have fewer than five cases each. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.
The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas outbreak based on genetic testing.
How many cases are there in Michigan?
Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to Canada’s large outbreak in Ontario. The state has nine confirmed measles cases as of Friday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak.
How many cases are there in Montana?
Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.
They are Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.
How many cases are there in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 32 measles cases in the state Thursday, and one hospitalization. The state count includes only Ohio residents. There are 16 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties.
Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, said there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in the state.
How many cases are there in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma was steady Friday with 13 cases: 10 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Custer and Oklahoma counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.
How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?
There are eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officials said Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state said Friday it has 13 cases overall in 2025, including international travel-related cases in Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia.
How many cases are there in Tennessee?
Tennessee has six measles cases as of Thursday. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee's outbreak started.
The state health department announced the state's first measles case March 21, three more on April 1 and the last two on April 17, but none of the news releases declared an outbreak. Tennessee is on a list of outbreak states in a Thursday CDC report.
Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?
There have been 884 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the CDC. Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.
What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.
People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”
But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
How can you treat measles?
There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
An infamous group of Russian-linked hackers appears to have launched a crippling cyberattack on WNMU- Joshua Bowling, Searchlight New Mexico
For nearly two weeks, Western New Mexico University’s website and digital systems have been held hostage by what officials in internal emails have called the efforts of a “foreign hacking group.” The university has not publicly addressed the severity of the attack, but documentation obtained by Searchlight New Mexico indicates that an infamous Russian-speaking hacking group is behind the attack and claims to have access to employee payroll data, Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses.
“If you refuse to communicate with us and we do not come to an agreement, your data will be reviewed and published on our blog,” the ransomware on WNMU employee computers says. “Data includes: Employees personal data, CVs, DL, SSN. Complete network map including credentials for local and remote services. Financial information including clients data, bills, budgets, annual reports.”
In an image of an employee’s computer shared with Searchlight, a note that threatens to leak the employee’s Social Security number, driver’s license and the university’s “complete network map” is signed by Qilin, a hacking group that the federal government has accused of running a “ransomware-as-a-service” operation. Qilin has earned a cutthroat reputation for being willing to go after anyone. Last year, it was accused of being involved in a cyberattack that forced a hospital system to cancel more than 1,000 appointments and operations. Earlier this year, it made headlines for its role in stealing the Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses of journalists who work for newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises.
Since April 13, the WNMU website has been inaccessible to the public. Faculty members told Searchlight that they and their students can use digital platforms like Canvas, which are hosted by a third party, but they’re unable to use classroom tools that connect to the internet, like printers or projectors.
In an image shared with Searchlight, one employee’s laptop screen displayed the same threatening ransomware message whenever they attempted to open a file on their work computer. The message was signed “Qilin,” and its contents bear the hallmark signs of ransomware, in which hackers hold sensitive data hostage until they receive a ransom payment. Even if they do receive a payment, groups like these may leak the sensitive information anyway.
A Western New Mexico employee’s laptop displayed several threatening ransomware messages, apparently signed by the foreign hacking group known as Qilin.
“We have downloaded compromising and sensitive data from your system/network. Our group cooperates with the mass media. If you refuse to communicate with us and we do not come to an agreement, your data will be reviewed and published on our blog,” the message says. “Data includes: Employees personal data, CVs, DL, SSN. Complete network map including credentials for local and remote services. Financial information including clients data, bills, budgets, annual reports.”
The note instructs recipients to download a Tor browser — commonly used to access the dark web — and visit a specific site to begin negotiations with the hackers. “You need cipher key/our decrypt software to restore your files … the police or authorities will not be able to help you get the cipher key. We encourage you to consider your decisions.”
Payday delayed
On April 25 — a Friday, payday at WNMU — hourly and student employees said they had not yet received their direct deposits. In an email to employees reviewed by Searchlight, the university said the problem “stemmed from an unexpected complication during the file upload process to the bank” and said some employees might experience further delays in receiving the payments. “If this delay results in any overdraft fees, the university will reimburse those charges,” the email said.
The cyberattack comes at an inopportune time for university leaders, who are working to rebuild trust with the faculty senate, student body, state government and the surrounding Silver City community. Since December, when former university president Joseph Shepard resigned from his post and the governor demanded the resignations of the sitting regents, the campus has been without a permanent leader. New regents have only been on the job since late March, and now find themselves leading a university in disarray.
Threats like these have become common enough in local government that in 2022 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched the “State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program,” the first of its kind, to help upgrade and protect IT networks across the country. It awarded nearly $280 million in grant funding for fiscal year 2024 — nearly $4 million of which went to New Mexico — and anticipated awarding $1 billion over four years.
In an email to executive managers on April 14 — one day after the attack — Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jack Crocker said WNMU “experienced a cyberattack from a foreign hacking group” and said the university had the “ongoing collective support and assistance” of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and “other university cyber experts to help us combat the attack.”
In an email to Searchlight, Higher Education Department spokesperson Auriella Ortiz said the agency was working closely with the state Department of Information Technology to “evaluate” the issue.
“WNMU is undertaking a formal investigation to identify the scope of the incident and to facilitate necessary remediation efforts,” she wrote. “Our primary objective as state agencies is to support the university in restoring and continuing normal business operations following this incident.”
Whether that collective firepower will be enough to combat the hacking group remains to be seen. Qilin has developed a reputation for wreaking havoc wherever it goes. Last year, it was accused of being involved with an attack on a healthcare provider in London that forced hospitals to immediately halt operations. Qilin has been operational since 2022 and operates “ransomware as a service,” according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This allows independent hackers to use its digital tools in exchange for a 15 to 20 percent share of the ransom payments. The 2024 report says that the group’s typical demand for ransom is $50,000 to $800,000.
“Actors practice double extortion and operate a data leak site where victims are posted. Victims are directed to communicate with the attackers via dark web portals or encrypted messaging services, ensuring the attackers’ anonymity and complicating law enforcement efforts to track interactions,” the HHS report says. “Payments are demanded in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Monero. However, even after payment, there is no guarantee that victims will receive the decryption tools required to recover their data.”
System outage or cyberattack?
Meanwhile, the severity of the situation hasn’t come through in the school’s public messaging (“While select systems remain offline,” a recent WNMU Facebook post said, “key academic and communications platforms continue to be accessible.”) For nearly two weeks, WNMU’s website has been down and employees have had varying degrees of access to their emails. Everything on the university website — minutes and agendas for Board of Regents meetings, campus announcements and calendars of events — has been blocked from public view, and students have had to use alternative login methods to access online homework, lectures and exams.
In public social media posts and emails to students, the university has not blamed a cyberattack or other nefarious activity for leading to the outages. Instead it has simply said it is “working through technical issues.” Internal communications, however, show that the situation is more serious than the university’s public depictions.
The university has also enlisted the help of private cybersecurity companies. A number of Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed on campus and students have received instructions on alternative ways to access Canvas, an online coursework program used by universities around the nation.
“In the meantime, the plan is to keep campus open,” Crocker wrote in his email to managers. “Face-to-face classes will meet and alternative access to online/hybrid classes is being created. However, university internet, email, phones, and connections outside WNMU are inoperable at this time and must remain so until the issues are resolved. Scheduled events, such as the scholarship luncheon, softball games, Cultural Affairs lectures will continue.”
While faculty and hourly employees have received different communications from the top, students have seemingly been left in the dark as to the serious nature of the system outage.
In an email to students last week, the university made no mention of a cyberattack. Instead, it told students that WNMU “is currently addressing technical issues affecting access to several key web-based services.” It also told students that “protecting your personal data — including your student status — is a top priority.”
In a statement Friday, university spokesperson Mario Sanchez said “impacted individuals” would be notified if their personal information was involved in the attack.
“The university’s investigation into this incident is ongoing. If the investigation determines that personal information was involved, impacted individuals will be notified in accordance with applicable law. We understand there was an issue with payroll processing for the current pay period, but our bank has let us know that the issue has been corrected and payroll should be posted today.”
New Mexico toughens requirements to become a caregiver - Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
People interested in becoming a caregiver for older adults or people with disabilities in New Mexico will face more strict requirements under a new state law but now have a way of appealing if they get rejected.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on April 7 signed House Bill 131, which enhances background check requirements for caregivers, expanding the list of disqualifying criminal offenses.
At the same time, HB 131 creates an easier pathway for those who qualify for the job, which sponsors hope will help expand the workforce.
Starting July 1, anyone convicted of battery of a household member, animal cruelty, identity theft, human trafficking or assault of a peace officer can be found to pose an “unreasonable risk” as a caregiver. The new law also allows the Health Care Authority to write rules to add more crimes to the list.
The law already prohibited someone from becoming a caregiver if they had been convicted of homicide; drug trafficking; kidnapping; rape or other sexual offenses; abuse of adults or children; robbery; larceny; burglary; fraud; financial exploitation or embezzlement.
“This law reflects our commitment to protecting the safety and dignity of the New Mexicans who rely on caregiving services,” New Mexico Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo said in a statement. “By strengthening background checks, we are creating safer environments for vulnerable individuals and providing families with greater peace of mind.”
Two of the bill’s co-sponsors in the Legislature told Source NM it is intended to decrease how long it takes to appeal a background check finding, and make the appeals process more effective, after providers gave feedback about it taking too long, which led to applicants giving up and working elsewhere like in the service industry.
Co-sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Thomson (D-Albuquerque), chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, told Source NM that the bill will help people with disabilities because more people will be able to apply for jobs to care for them. She said there is very high staff turnover at groups homes, nursing homes and other care facilities, and it’s difficult to find replacements because caregiving is a demanding job that pays very little.
“These jobs have a lot of responsibility, I mean, this is someone’s mother, or grandmother or son that you’re taking care of,” Thomson said. “It can be a very stressful, very physically challenging job, and sometimes downright scary.”
For example, Thomson said she sees new staff working at the group home that houses her own son who is very tall, strong and has severe autism that can result in him engaging in difficult behaviors like smearing his own feces on the walls, ceilings and his own clothing.
Co-sponsor Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) told Source NM the bill fits into the legislative session’s broader focus on public safety by protecting the most vulnerable people, including those with disabilities.
Cates said the Health Care Authority’s Division of Health Improvement asked her to carry the bill. The division runs the state’s caregiver background check registry.
“These direct care providers are extraordinarily important in our community, especially now as our community is aging at a higher ratio, and we do not pay them a professional wage,” Cates said.
HB131 does not impact caregivers’ pay, but Cates and Thomson say they want to pursue future pieces of legislation to raise their compensation. In 2023, they co-sponsored a law that requires the state to conduct a cost study every two years for caregivers for people with developmental disabilities.
But as soon as the study’s findings are implemented, the pay rates are already two years behind inflation, Thomson said.
“Even before I started as a representative, I was an advocate for people with disabilities and even back then in the 1990s, we were saying, ‘You’re not paying these people enough,’” Thomson said. “I don’t know what the magic number is; I haven’t found it.”
Former judge, wife arrested in Las Cruces on federal charges - By Algernon D'Ammassa, Albuquerque Journal
Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy, were arrested by FBI agents Thursday afternoon on federal charges of tampering with evidence.
Joel Cano, 67, resigned from the bench last month, days after a Feb. 28 raid at his Las Cruces home ended in the arrest of three Venezuelan men who had been living in a studio on the property.
The New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission had begun an inquiry into the incident, resulting in Cano’s resignation with a stipulation that he would not seek judicial office in New Mexico again.
He and Nancy Cano, 68, were booked into Doña Ana County Detention Center between 6:30 and 7 p.m., where they are being held without bond pending federal court appearances. No criminal complaint was available Thursday evening.
All three of the men arrested on the Canos’ property reportedly have immigration cases pending and have been accused of involvement in the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, an allegation Cano called “highly sensationalized and without merit” in his response to the JSC.
Cano also wrote that his wife had facilitated their appearances for immigration court and appointments with their legal counsel, and said the trio had become “a meaningful part of our extended family,” involved in community events and working on obtaining work authorization while their cases were pending.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, one of three men, has been charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm based on social media posts showing the 23-year-old holding a variety of guns at a shooting range as well as in a home where the Canos are seen.
A federal search warrant suggested the firearms may have belonged to daughter April Cano, who lives next door to Joel and Nancy Cano.
Ortega-Lopez remains in custody at the jail ahead of a detention hearing in New Mexico District Court on April 30.
Joel Cano served with the Las Cruces Police Department for nearly 23 years before first being elected, as a Democrat, to the Doña Ana County Magistrate Court in 2010.
Immigration is Trump's strongest issue, but many say he's gone too far, a new AP-NORC poll finds - By Linley Sanders, Associated Press
President Donald Trump's handling of immigration remains a point of strength as he takes wide-ranging actions to ramp up deportations and target people in the U.S. illegally, according to a new poll.
The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 46% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of immigration, which is nearly 10 percentage points higher than his approval rating on the economy and trade with other countries.
While Trump's actions remain divisive, there's less of a consensus that the Republican president has overstepped on immigration than on other issues. Still, there's little appetite for an even tougher approach. About half of Americans say he's "gone too far" when it comes to deporting immigrants in the U.S. illegally. They're divided on the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants who are accused of being gang members to El Salvador, and more oppose than support revoking foreign students' visas over their participation in pro-Palestinian activism.
Here's what the poll shows about how Americans are viewing the Trump administration's actions on immigration.
Immigration is a point of strength for Trump, particularly with Republicans
Immigration was a major factor for voters in last November's election, particularly for Trump's supporters, and they were more open to tough stances on the issue than they'd been four years earlier. And even though many of Trump's immigration enforcement efforts are currently mired in battles with federal judges, it's remained an issue of relative strength in the court of public opinion.
Similar to an AP-NORC poll conducted in March, nearly half of Americans approve of Trump's immigration approach, while about 4 in 10 approve of how he's handling the presidency.
This higher approval on immigration comes primarily from Republicans. About 8 in 10 Republicans approve of Trump's handling of immigration, higher than the roughly 7 in 10 Republicans who approve of how he's handling the economy or trade negotiations with other countries.
Other groups are less enthusiastic about Trump's approach. About 4 in 10 independents and only about 2 in 10 Democrats approve of Trump on immigration.
Relatively few Americans are concerned they'll know someone who is directly affected by increased immigration enforcement, according to the poll. About 2 in 10 Americans say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned that they or someone they know will be directly affected.
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to worry they'll be affected, and Hispanic adults are more likely than white or Black adults to be concerned.
About half say Trump has 'gone too far' on deportations
About half of Americans say Trump has "gone too far" when it comes to deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. About one-third say his approach has been "about right," and about 2 in 10 say he's not gone far enough.
They're unhappier, generally, with how he's approaching trade negotiations. About 6 in 10 say he's "gone too far" in imposing new tariffs on other countries.
There is not a strong desire for more aggressive action on immigration, though, even among the people who approve of what's Trump doing. Among the Americans who approve of how Trump is handling immigration, about 6 in 10 say his approach has been "about right," and roughly 3 in 10 say he hasn't gone far enough.
Americans are split on sending Venezuelans to El Salvador but oppose revoking student visas
There is a deep divide on whether and how the Trump administration should undertake large-scale deportations, according to the survey, which was conducted in mid-April, while Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was on a trip to El Salvador to demand the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported there in what officials later described as an "administrative error."
The poll found that 38% of Americans favor deporting all immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, down slightly from an AP-NORC poll conducted just before Trump took office in January. About the same share of Americans are opposed, and about 2 in 10 are neutral.
The findings are very similar for Trump's policy of sending Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. who authorities say are gang members to a prison in El Salvador.
But the public is more opposed, broadly, to revoking foreign students' visas over their participation in pro-Palestinian activism, which has emerged as another flashpoint.
About half of U.S. adults oppose this, and about 3 in 10 are in support. This action is particularly unpopular among Americans with a college degree. About 6 in 10 strongly or somewhat oppose it, compared with about 4 in 10 Americans who aren't college graduates.
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The AP-NORC poll of 1,260 adults was conducted April 17-21, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
New Mexico Tech doctoral student challenges Homeland Security’s termination of his student status - Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
A graduate student from the Republic of Ghana studying in central New Mexico says the U.S. government’s termination of his student status violates federal law and his constitutional right to due process.
The doctoral student and research assistant, identified only as K.O.D. in court records, moved to Socorro in August 2023, where he has been studying petrochemical engineering at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, according to court records. He received his bachelor’s degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in his home country and his master’s at the Politecnico di Torino in Italy, his attorneys wrote.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on April 9 abruptly terminated the student’s status in the Student and Exchange Visitor (SEVIS) system, court records state. This means he faces potential immigration detention and deportation, his attorneys wrote.
“Losing my F-1 status puts my education, research, and career trajectory at risk, and I fear being forced to leave the country before I can complete by Ph.D. program,” the student wrote in a sworn statement included in court records. “This sudden disruption has made me feel vulnerable and anxious, not only about my immediate situation but also about the stability and direction of my life in the years to come.”
The student is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and Shayne Huffman, an Albuquerque-based civil rights attorney, who on Wednesday filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.
Both filings name Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons as defendants.
The motion for a temporary restraining order asks the court to block Noem and Lyons from terminating the student’s F-1 student status under the Student and Exchange Visitor (SEVIS) system.
“At the most elemental level, the United States Constitution requires notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard,” his attorneys wrote. “No such process was provided here with respect to the termination of student status.”
Huffman told Source NM the government hasn’t put forward any evidence to justify terminating his client’s student status.
“We believe that there can be no more egregious violation of someone’s due process than what has happened to our client, and for the other students that this has happened to as well,” Huffman said.
As of Thursday, the U.S. government has changed the legal status of more than 1,800 international students at more than 280 colleges and universities, including at least 10 in New Mexico, according to Inside Higher Ed.
DHS didn’t notify the New Mexico Tech student or his school, his attorneys wrote. He learned about the agency’s action against him when the school’s international programs coordinator informed him that they had discovered his student status had been terminated.
The reason given on the record of termination was “OTHER – Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked,” according to a copy included in the restraining order motion.
However, the student has no criminal record, “without even minor infractions such as a traffic or parking violation,” has shown no violence in the U.S. or elsewhere and hasn’t participated in any protest either in-person or online, his attorneys wrote. Huffman said he has never faced any disciplinary action from the school whatsoever.
“It’s entirely unclear to us as to why he was targeted,” Huffman said.
Source NM left a voicemail for a New Mexico Tech spokesperson, and we will update this story as necessary.
DHS has effectively disenrolled the student from his Ph.D. program and he can no longer work as a research assistant, which puts him in financial jeopardy because his financial aid, which is contingent on participation in the Ph.D. program, has been suspended, Huffman and ACLU-NM Senior Staff Attorney Becca Sheff wrote.
The status termination also prevents him from making progress in his doctoral program and obtaining his Ph.D., his attorneys wrote.
Twelve days after the student learned about DHS’ action, the school gave him a notice of “Graduate Contract Change or Cancellation,” saying his graduate contract was being terminated due to “immigration status currently revoked” by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
His attorneys wrote he likely accrues unlawful presence in the U.S. each day, which threatens his chance of reinstating his F-1 student status in the future.
The student is not challenging the revocation of his F-1 visa but, rather, is challenging DHS’s unlawful termination of his F-1 student status in the SEVIS system, his attorneys wrote. An F-1 student visa refers only to the document an immigrant student receives to enter the U.S., while F-1 student status refers to students’ formal immigration classification in the U.S. once they enter the country, they wrote.
The student lawfully obtained a visitor visa to attend a petroleum engineers’ conference in the U.S. in 2016 but customs officials didn’t let him in for five years.
“Just as the 2016 denial did not prevent Plaintiff from lawfully obtaining an F-1 visa in 2023, it cannot now serve as a legitimate basis for terminating his current status,” his attorneys wrote.
The student’s research is his passion and he has dedicated his entire life for the last two years to it, Huffman said, having authored or co-authored at least half a dozen publications and traveled the country to present at academic conferences.
“We’re a state that’s so reliant on energy, and he’s pushing forward the research in an area that directly impacts the state,” Huffman said.
Huffman said there are other Ghanaian students at New Mexico Tech. The school in October 2023 entered into an agreement with the student’s former school in Ghana to strengthen their petroleum engineering programs.
“With all the students that this is happening to, international students ultimately are a net positive for this country,” Huffman said. “They’re here to contribute in meaningful ways. They’re here to push research forward in the sciences or any other field. Our country and our state are better off with these international students here making their contributions.”
April showers bring cross-country dust instead of flowers to New England via 'dirty rain' — Holly Ramer, Associated Press
No, New England, that wasn't a new strain of spring pollen coating your cars. It was dust carried across the country in a phenomenon known as "dirty rain."
April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but the light rain that fell across the region last Friday and Saturday brought dirt instead. Christian Bridges, a meteorologist with WGME-TV in Portland, Maine, was as perplexed as anyone until he checked the satellite imagery.
"You could see that dust got picked up in New Mexico two days before on Thursday by the same storm system," he said. "It then brought it up into the far northern part of the U.S. and then eventually brought it all the way to New England."
Strong wind brought the dust to an altitude of around 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), he said, below the level of rain clouds.
"So the rain kind of grabbed the dust as it was falling and brought it down to the ground," Bridges said. "It's kind of cool to think it was transported 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) across the country."
Parts of Wisconsin, Michigan and the northern Great Lakes region also reported "dirty rain" or "mud rain" before it hit Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Bridges said such rain is unusual but not unprecedented and is similar to the way smoke from Western wildfires makes it way east.