For most gun buyers in Bernalillo County, a background check is a routine step. But for 389 people last year, that check ended in a denial and a visit from the sheriff’s office. Instead of a raid, these individuals often received a “knock and talk” from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Health Unit (BHU). These visits […]
Courts, Justice & Safety
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New NM law sparks ICE showdown: Will this new law change operations at MDC?
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed HB9 into law Thursday, creating a legal firewall between New Mexico local governments and federal immigration agents. While the move marks a major statewide shift, Bernalillo County officials say their facilities are already ahead of the curve. Known as the Immigrant Safety Act, HB 9 bars state and local agencies […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, New Mexico Legislature #nmleg, NM Political Report
Bill to close ICE facilities in New Mexico signed into law by Gov
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill today designed to end New Mexico’s involvement in federal civil immigration detention. House Bill 9, the Immigrant Safety Act, prohibits public bodies from entering into, renewing or extending agreements to detain individuals for federal civil immigration violations. The bill also bars public bodies from selling or leasing public […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, New Mexico Legislature #nmleg, NM Political Report
Gov set to sign bill closing ICE facilities in New Mexico
New Mexico is set to end its involvement in federal civil immigration detention following final Senate passage of the Immigrant Safety Act on Feb. 2. The legislation, House Bill 9, creates a “bright line” between state and local resources and federal immigration enforcement, potentially forcing the closure of three detention facilities that collectively hold more […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
New Mexico court strikes down “Homewrecker Law,” ending husband’s suit against ex-wife’s new boyfriend
The New Mexico Supreme Court has unanimously abolished the state’s century-old “alienation of affections” law, commonly referred to as “Homewrecker Laws,” that allowed spouses to sue third parties for the failure of a marriage. In an opinion authored by Chief Justice David Thomson, the court unanimously ruled that the law is “outdated” and ordered a […]
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ICE policy under fire: Bregman threatens criminal charges for unlawful ICE detentions
The Bernalillo County district attorney has warned federal immigration officials that certain detention practices could result in criminal prosecution under state law. Sam Bregman, district attorney for New Mexico’s Second Judicial District, sent a letter Wednesday to Bill Shaw, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement assistant field office director, raising concerns about ICE operations. The letter […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Healthcare, New Mexico Legislature #nmleg
Punitive damages emerge as flashpoint in latest malpractice reform push
This story originally appeared at New Mexico In Depth, and is republished with permission as a part of our mission to bring readers the best in independent local journalism. By Ted Alcorn, NM In Depth –– Responding to doctors’ concerns that New Mexico’s malpractice system is making it hard to practice medicine, leading lawmakers hope […]
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Metro crime-fighting tools highlighted as federal funding package clears Congress
A package of federal appropriations bills that cleared both houses of Congress this week contains hundreds of millions of dollars for New Mexico, with a heavy emphasis on public safety in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján issued news releases Friday detailing the legislation, which now heads to President […]
Posted inOpinion & Analysis
Against the odds: APD’s DWI unit rises from the ashes
When I first heard about the sprawling corruption scandal that gutted the Albuquerque Police Department’s DWI unit in 2024, I, like a lot of people, assumed the specialized unit was finished. A decades-long bribery scheme involving nearly the entire squad, hundreds of dismissed cases, officers on the district attorney’s “Brady list” of untrustworthy cops, it […]
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DWI cases rebound in Bernalillo County court after APD corruption scandal
DWI cases filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court reached a multiyear high in 2025 and APD arrests are on the rise following a decades-long corruption scandal that has decimated its specialized DWI unit, a City Desk investigation found. The court recorded 2,404 total DWI filings in 2025, consisting of 2,360 misdemeanor and 44 felony cases, […]