Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Pueblos

Trump administration withholding $410 billion in federal funds, Democratic lawmakers say

The Trump administration is illegally withholding more than $410 billion in federal funding from communities nationwide, according to an updated tracker released by Democratic lawmakers that chronicles what they call an unprecedented assault on congressional spending authority. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., said that President Donald Trump and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Pueblos

New Mexico politicians push for completion of tribal water rights

By Lauren Lifke New Mexico’s congressional delegation has called for Senate and House leaders to take steps toward completing tribal water settlements. The U.S. pursues a policy of settling tribal water rights disputes whenever possible, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The settlements are intended to help secure tribal rights to historic land, as […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Pueblos

New Mexico leaders outraged by Supreme Court’s racial profiling ruling

Members of Congress and the top prosecutor in New Mexico are condemning a U.S. Supreme Court decision that at least temporarily allows immigration officials to stop individuals based on what critics say is racial profiling.  The 6-3 decision announced on Monday granted the federal government’s request to pause a lower court ruling that limited when […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Pueblos

Trump orders states to reinstate cash bonds for criminals. Forcing New Mexico to do that isn’t quite that easy.

The growing push by Republicans to roll back limits on when courts can require criminal suspects to pay to get out of jail while awaiting trial could put New Mexico on a collision course with the federal government.  On Aug. 25, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Attorney General and White […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.

East Mountains resident receives Library of Congress grant to document New Mexico cultural traditions

A Sandia Park resident has received a prestigious grant from the Library of Congress to document traditional New Mexican dances and cultural practices, many of which she recorded in the East Mountains area. Yvette Cohn Stoor was awarded a Community Collections Grant for her project “Sustaining and Reclaiming Cultural Danzas: Los Matechines Y Los Comanchitos,” […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Housing & Homelessness

State inspectors find needles, blood, and chemical exposure at PresNow Clinic

PresNow, a 24/7 urgent and emergency care provider in Albuquerque, is facing penalties for workplace safety violations after state inspectors reportedly found multiple serious health violations that put employees at risk. The New Mexico Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau recently issued three citations to PresNow’s Paseo del Norte location for serious violations. Regulators […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Pueblos

New Mexico treasurer urges Supreme Court to strike down Trump tariffs

New Mexico Treasurer Laura Montoya is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold lower court rulings that found President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign countries to be unlawful uses of executive power.  “Though he may falsely believe he’s above the law, the courts and the Constitution say otherwise. The Supreme Court must uphold the lower […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Pueblos

NM senators call out Trump administration’s targeting of DACA recipients

By Lauren Lifke Nearly 40 Senate Democrats, including Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), signed a letter last week calling out the Trump administration’s targeting of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in its move to increase deportation.  The DACA program, implemented more than a decade ago, allows for some immigrants who […]