Patrick Lohmann

Lawsuit alleges NM county's Project Jupiter data center vote violated Open Meetings Act • Source New Mexico A new lawsuit accues Doña Ana County officials of violating the Open Meetings Act during a hearing for the Project Jupiter data center.

The recently filed legal challenge says elected officials "abruptly" went into a closed-door meeting during the September hearing on Project Jupiter.

This is a really timely and impressive initiative from @sourcenm.com’s parent org, @statesnewsroom.com. Click through for in-depth reporting across the nation on data centers — including some from yours truly

NM Legislature day 22 recap: Public safety; microgrid oversight • Source New Mexico On the 22nd day of the 2026 New Mexico legislative session, public safety took center stage and a microgrid oversight bill advanced.

On the 22nd day of the 2026 New Mexico legislative session, public safety took center stage.

NM Land Commissioner seeks probe into allegation that two girls were buried near Epstein ranch • Source New Mexico The allegations come from an anonymous 2019 email alleging two "foreign girls" were strangled and buried in the hills near Zorro Ranch.

The 2019 letter does not say when the girls might have died or when or where they were buried, except that the burial site is “somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro.”

buff.ly/WjkwkGt

New Mexico governor signs medical compacts, Immigrant Safety Act, road bonds into law • Source New Mexico New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday signed bills regarding medical compacts, ICE detention and road bonds into law.

“This early in the session, getting legislation passed is hard, even with an interim and years of work,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said at the signing. “I am proud of the Legislature. They don’t need that, but I think the public needs to know that they are getting incredible things done.”

New Mexico governor preparing FEMA lawsuit over outstanding $445M wildfire claim  • Source New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office is preparing a lawsuit against FEMA for the state's $445M claim from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.

The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon claims office has not moved on the State of New Mexico's $445 million claim. The governor is getting ready to sue.

NM Legislature day 16 recap: Last-minute bills and long-running debate over $11B budget • Source New Mexico On the 16th day of the 2026 New Mexico legislative session, lawmakers raced to the filing deadline and debated the $11 billion budget.

In the immortal words of Big Time Rush, “We’re halfway there,” folks. For readers 40 and older, take Swedish band Europe’s admonition: “It’s the final countdown.”

Torrance County extends ICE detention contract day after Legislature votes to ban such agreements • Source New Mexico The Torrance County Commission met for about two minutes to extend an agreement allowing ICE to continue housing detainees at its local jail.

The Torrance County Commission chair tells Source he will continue extending ICE detention agreements until state law requires the county to stop doing so.

sourcenm.com/2026/02/04/t...

NM Legislature day 15 recap: Medical compact heads to the governor; Clear Horizons Act advances • Source New Mexico On the 15th day of the 2026 New Mexico legislative session, the House unanimously sent an interstate medical compact bill to the governor.

The House of Representatives swiftly and unanimously approved Senate Bill 1, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Act, sending it to the governor. Hearings on the Senate floor, though, were not as speedy.

NM Senate committee advances ICE detention ban • Source New Mexico After the New Mexico House of Representatives debated an immigrant detention ban for hours Friday, a Senate committee quickly advanced it.

Committee chair votes ‘yes’ despite past opposition to similar bills

Gubernatorial candidate switches party from Dem to independent just before election deadline • Source New Mexico Ken Miyagishima announced Monday he is pulling out of the New Mexico Democratic primary for governor, and running as an independent.

Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima will run as an independent he said, just ahead of the deadline to get on the ballot.

That leaves former U.S. Interior Secretary and New Mexico Congresswoman Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman to vie for the Democratic nomination.

New Mexico governor calls on FEMA claims office director to resign • Source New Mexico The governor, as well as the two Democrats running for her seat after her final term ends this year, all called on Mitchell to resign.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday became the latest high-ranking official to call on the director of a multi-billion-dollar compensation fund for wildfire victims to resign, following revelations last week that he accepted a six-figure payout for his own claims.

buff.ly/bsYb3j1

The Independent gave me a scholarship in high school to attend a journalism workshop, and supported great local journalists like @abecenti.bsky.social and others.

Tragic to see it closing. Hope something replaces it that maintains its editorial independence.

Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...

BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.

NM congressional delegation calls on FEMA wildfire claims office leader to resign • Source New Mexico The delegation statements comes after Source NM’s reporting this week that Jay Mitchell had applied for and received a six-figure payout.

Members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation on Friday called on the federal official overseeing a multi-billion dollar wildfire compensation fund to resign, following Source NM’s reporting this week that the official had applied for and received a six-figure payout.

buff.ly/3HbfAbE

Thousands protest ICE in Albuquerque’s center • Source New Mexico Thousands of New Mexicans turned out Jan. 30, 2026, as part of a national demonstration opposing federal immigration actions.

The demonstration was the largest in a series of local recent protests against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown in Minnesota, and the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both 37, by immigration agents.

New Mexico medical malpractice bill clears its first hurdle • Source New Mexico A New Mexico bill to reform medical malpractice law cleared its first hurdle despite a controversial amendment.

A medical malpractice reform bill backed by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham cleared its first hurdle in a Friday morning House committee hearing after an “unfriendly amendment” rankled Republicans.

NM Legislature day 11 recap: ICE protests, medical malpractice, Epstein subcommittee • Source New Mexico On the 11th day of the New Mexico 2026 legislative session, a medical malpractice reform bill cleared its first hurdle.

As lawmakers on the floor of the NM House debated an ICE detention ban, Santa Fe Prep student Stella Schriber joined friends outside the Roundhouse in a growing crowd. Passing drivers honked while her friend held a hand-painted sign: “No decent human has a heart made of ICE.”

NM Republican and Democrat team up to streamline disaster spending — and rein in governor  • Source New Mexico House Bill 180 seeks to give the state's system for funding disaster response its first major update in more than 70 years.

Recent floods, fires, National Guard deployments and other emergencies have caused friction between the Legislature and governor about her authority to spend hundreds of millions of dollars without their approval.

buff.ly/3ei43Sh

NM Legislature day 10 recap: Maintaining control over vaccines; setting the $11 billion budget • Source New Mexico On the 10th day of the 2026 New Mexico legislative session, lawmakers revisited a 2025 vaccine law and prepared for budget talks.

One-third of the way through the session, budget talks draw near.

NM Legislature day 9 recap: ‘White Coat Day’; housing assistance; ICE detention ban • Source New Mexico On the ninth day of the 2026 New Mexico legislative session, housing assistance and ICE detention took center stage.

The Republican ‘affordability’ agenda and changes to the ICE detention ban bill took center stage Wednesday.

FEMA official overseeing NM fire victims fund received six-figure payout, documents show • Source New Mexico Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon claims director Mitchell received six-figure payment for smoke damage at his Angel Fire home

Today’s must-read, from @sourcenm.com’s @patricklohmann.bsky.social:

FEMA official overseeing NM fire victims fund received six-figure payout, records show

FEMA official overseeing NM fire victims fund received six-figure payout, documents show • Source New Mexico Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon claims director Mitchell received six-figure payment for smoke damage at his Angel Fire home

NEW: The FEMA official in charge of a multi-billion-dollar compensation fund for Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire victims and his wife personally received more than $500,000 in fund payments for smoke damage and business losses, according to documents Source and NM PBS obtained.

buff.ly/tobJRCU

NM lawmakers add ban on law enforcement agreements with ICE to Immigrant Safety Act • Source New Mexico New Mexico lawmakers add ban on law enforcement cooperation with ICE to immigrant detention ban legislation.

NM lawmakers behind the Immigrant Safety Act amended the bill yesterday to also prohibit "287(g) agreements," which allow police to send inmates at local jails into ICE custody.

The governor has not yet said whether she supports lawmakers taking up the issue this 30-day session.

buff.ly/k7R1JB9

NM GOP senator asks feds to intervene and help stop immigration detention ban • Source New Mexico Sen. James Townsend said House Bill 9 poses constitutional concerns and mirrors legislation in New Jersey that an appeals court just overturned.

A New Mexico GOP senator announced Friday he asked AG Pam Bondi and the federal Department of Justice to “engage” or “intervene” in New Mexico as the Legislature moves toward passing a bill prohibiting public entities from contracting with federal agencies for immigrant detention.

buff.ly/0RWtDD8

Early results of NM SNAP study show few fraud cases brought to court • Source New Mexico The LFC report found only 12 cases of SNAP fraud brought to court, plus a fraction of total benefits awarded stolen through card skimmers.

“I am quite certain, based on looking at that report and looking at other facts, that there is fraud and misrepresentation that is rampant in the program that’s got to be addressed,” said Sen. James Townsend (R-Artesia).

buff.ly/NO3Tb47

New Mexico Election 2026: trail notes • Source New Mexico This week in election news: Democratic contenders spotted at the State of the State; a new GOP candidate; a public records lawsuit.

There was election news from the Roundhouse to the courthouse this week in New Mexico. Here's the weekly roundup from the campaign trail: buff.ly/3aVsYyZ

NM House committee advances bill to ban immigrant detention in NM • Source New Mexico A New Mexico House committee voted 4-2 to advance a bill that prohibits public bodies from signing immigrant-detention contracts.

House Bill 9, known as the Immigrant Safety Act, would prohibit government entities across the state from signing contracts to detain people for federal immigration violations.

For eight weeks, our journalists at the @minnesotareformer.com have been reporting from the front lines of the federal government's immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.