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 […]
Category: 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 In an opinion authored by Chief Justice David Thomson, the court unanimously ruled that the law is “outdated” and ordered a […]
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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, […]
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Santa Fe court launches mental health diversion program for arrestees
The First Judicial District Court has announced a new program designed to divert people with severe mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into treatment services. The competency diversion pilot program will serve individuals charged with misdemeanors, excluding DWI and nonviolent felony offenses. It marks the fourth such initiative established by New Mexico […]
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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 […]
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Appeals court blocks New Mexico’s new 7-day waiting period for gun purchases
A 2024 state law requiring a 7-day waiting period for the purchase of firearms will not go into effect, at least for now. A federal appeals court on Tuesday agreed with challengers to the law, backed by the National Rifle Association, who sued to block one of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s cornerstone gun laws. “Cooling-off […]
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New Mexico Supreme Court upholds warrantless vehicle searches during brief decriminalization era
New Mexico drivers stopped by police during the state’s brief marijuana decriminalization period could still have their vehicles searched without a warrant based on the smell of cannabis alone, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a unanimous decision that clarifies police powers during a unique period in the state’s drug policy history. The ruling […]