Jonathan Ibarra

New Mexico Republicans applaud, Democrats denounce Trump's bail order - New Mexico Political Report 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 fede...

Another opportunity to be able to talk bail reform and the problems with the President’s order.

nmpoliticalreport.com/2025/09/10/n...

New Mexico wrote bail reform into its Constitution nearly a decade ago. Can Trump reverse it? • Source New Mexico Experts say cash bail disproportionately holds poor people and people of color in jail; and most on pretrial release don’t reoffend.

My first post in a while. Might as well be about being interviewed (along with experts I mentioned to the author) about the President’s attempt to undo bail reform, and the viability in New Mexico.

sourcenm.com/2025/09/02/n...

In New Mexico, bail reform included no bond pretrial detention if the State proves dangerousness. In Albuquerque, nearly half of cases where the State files for pretrial detention end without any state conviction.

Absolutely true. It’s so hard to fight gut feelings (pushed by round the clock news coverage) about bad crime with dry things like data. Facts should matter but, alas, often don’t.

Nice work by my friend and colleague. I’m hopeful that in our upcoming session, the legislators continue to look critically at the Governor’s agenda, seeing that jail doesn’t solve problems like this.

You too!

Same. I didn’t think I’d agree with it, but the President is right that this was a nakedly political prosecution. It should have resolved with the original plea agreement. So this doesn’t hurt my feelings.

Now, as other have commented, let’s get to some other pardons and commutations.

Kathryn makes a really good point in this thread. While I know my colleagues who are women and/or people of color are just as able to speak eloquently and passionately as I am, they would be (are) treated much differently. And that could (likely does) make them less likely to speak up.

Screenshot of person alleged to be Reese Witherspoon, with a Bible quote as her self-description.

Somehow I think not all of my new followers are completely legit. Many are, and I’ve followed a lot back. But some… I suspect not.

$6.2 million for a banana duct-taped to a wall, or…?

A thread on what good that money could instead support.

Whenever you hear politicians, police, or prosecutors touting an individuals "extensive criminal record" as a call for even greater harshness, take a beat.

An extensive prior record only underscores the failure of arrest, prosecution, jail, & prison as a public health & safety “solution.”

No one should profit from stripping someone of their liberty

New Mexico needs to do the exact opposite of Texas by refusing to house anyone who is part of mass-deportations efforts.

ICE/CDP is currently housing people at private prisons in Grants, Santa Rosa, and Clayton.

The fact that I know this kind of thing happens regularly doesn’t make me any less angry when I see something like this.

Freddie Freeman right after hitting a grand slam, Mookie Betts celebrates in the foreground

There’s so many I can’t choose just one. But no question as to my most recent favorite.

Emily is, of course, 100% correct. Pass the info along to those who need it.

An excellent, if disheartening, post about immigration issues. Definitely worth getting out to people here in NM - though a blue state (maybe BECAUSE a blue state), fed enforcement will likely pick up significantly.

You’re way nicer than me. 11yo is 8:45 (which practically means about 9:15), and the 13 and 15 yo are 9:00 (so 9:30ish). Keep planning to move back the oldest’s but they don’t sleep great, so tends to like to go to bed earlier. Somewhere btwn 11-12 for me.

A significant percentage of people who died in the jail were there on cases for possession of drugs. What exactly did they need to repent? And what does that have to do with them dying? People should not be dying regularly in the county jail. I don’t think that should be a controversial statement.

I’d be happy to be included. Thanks!

I absolutely want Tyson to win. Us old guys gotta stick together, especially against someone with that punchable of a face.

Seriously, what is going on there? So many of our clients have died there. Going to jail isn’t supposed to be a death sentence. And yet, for too many, it has been. 😥

I was thinking the same. I’ve had busy days this week and the lack of algorithm makes it so that I just may not get to something I’d have liked to see.

Public defense office proposes new compensation system for contract attorneys Contract public defense attorneys earn less than minimum wage on certain types of cases under flat rate fee structure, according to report.

Pretty horrifying that juvenile contract public defenders in New Mexico make the equivalent of 79 cents per hour...

Contract attorneys handle 34% of the state’s public defense cases, while working for rock-bottom wages due to low flat fees

www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...

Agreed - I didn’t see that until way late in the day bc I got overwhelmed with news and commentary on Trump designees.

Actually, I already followed almost everyone….

I’d be happy to be included. Was hoping to see such a starter pack. Time to start adding folks. 🙂

Yeah, it’ll be quite a bit. But we’re not even asking for as much as attorneys get doing fed work on CJA. And due to the nature of a big, mostly rural state, we don’t have PD offices in half the state. Some counties have no lawyers living there. We have to pay people enough to take cases there.

Too bad I was so busy today. Missed all the news as it was happening and, perhaps more importantly, all the smack talk as it was happening. I’ll be busy tomorrow too, so hopefully Dr. Phil doesn’t get his nom for HHS while I’m not able to react. 🙄

What a mess. Here in NM, the State PD is working on hourly rates instead of (ridiculously low) flat fees for our contract attorneys. The increase in funding it would take might make the Legis uncomfortable. But would they be comfortable w their loved ones being repped on a 1st deg felony for <$1K?

You were one of the few people keeping me in the bad place. Couple more and I’m finally jumping ship.