City Desk ABQ Archives - Page 29 of 606

Pacific Fusion announced an expansion in New Mexico with a new Research and Manufacturing Campus, which will be located at Mesa Del Sol. During a press conference representatives from local government came to address the media on details. Pictured is City Councillor Joaquin Baca signing a rendering of what the facility will look like.

Exclusive: Pacific Fusion on why they chose ABQ for $1 billion fusion research campus

Pacific Fusion is bringing a $1 billion fusion energy campus to Albuquerque, adding more than 200 permanent high-paying jobs, nearly 1,000 construction jobs, and new momentum for New Mexico’s push to become a national leader in advanced energy technology. The California company’s move, confirmed in an exclusive interview with CityDesk, marks one of the biggest […]

The Albuquerque Police Department has officially launched a drone program that has already assisted in four arrests and conducted more than 200 flights in its first month of operation, city officials announced Thursday.

Albuquerque police drone program draws privacy concerns after reporting four arrests in first month

The Albuquerque Police Department’s new drone surveillance program has assisted in four arrests during its first month of operation, but civil liberties advocates are raising concerns about privacy protections and community input in the program’s deployment. The program, which launched in August, has conducted more than 200 flights using drones housed in strategically placed “hives” […]

New Mexico Democratic lawmakers compare ICE to KKK, drawing sharp Republican criticism

New Mexico Democratic lawmakers’ comparisons of federal immigration enforcement to the Ku Klux Klan have drawn sharp criticism from Republican legislators, who say such rhetoric puts law enforcement officers at risk. During this week’s Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee meetings, two Democratic lawmakers made inflammatory comments about Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. On Wednesday, Rep. […]

New Mexico AG’s office under fire for immigrant detention oversight

The New Mexico Department of Justice is disputing a recent report that alleges that the state attorney general is not doing enough to police immigrant detention centers. The New Mexico Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights claimed in its report, released earlier this month, that the New Mexico Department of Justice is […]

Albuquerque cuts public records backlog below 1,000 for first time since 2023

The City of Albuquerque has reduced its backlog of public records requests to fewer than 1,000 for the first time since June 2023, while resolving more than 65% of all requests within 20 days, city officials announced. The improvements come as the city received more than 15,900 requests in fiscal year 2025, a 13% increase […]

City of Albuquerque installing pedestrian fencing on East Central Avenue

The City of Albuquerque is installing new protective fencing along medians on Central Avenue as part of an effort to direct pedestrians to safer crossing locations. The fencing, some of which was installed last week, is designed to guide pedestrians to intersections and new mid-block crossing points rather than allowing crossings at potentially dangerous locations, […]

Mayor Tim Keller uses virtual reality technology Thursday to preview the planned Uptown Connect development during a press conference at the current Uptown Transit Center. The $120 million mixed-use project will transform the underutilized transit hub into 239 apartments, along with commercial space, restaurants and a dog park. The development represents the culmination of a 27-year effort that began when the city purchased the land in 1998 with federal transit funds. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2026, with completion expected by 2028.

Photo of the day: Mayor Keller takes virtual tour of Albuquerque’s future

Mayor Tim Keller gets a virtual reality glimpse of the future Uptown Connect project during the development’s launch event on Thursday. The innovative mixed-use development promises to link affordable housing with public transportation, employment opportunities, and entertainment in Albuquerque’s Uptown area. Check back tomorrow for a full story on Uptown Connect, a $120 million mixed-use […]

Late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson of the U.S. District Court of New Mexico granted a petition for a writ of habeas corpus directing the federal government to immediately release 28-year-old Paulo Cesar Gamez Lira from the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, where he had been held for 42 days.

Federal judge orders DACA recipient detained by ICE released from New Mexico detention center

A federal judge has ruled that a DACA recipient whose detention has been challenged in court must be released from custody. Late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson of the U.S. District Court of New Mexico granted a petition for a writ of habeas corpus directing the federal government to immediately release 28-year-old Paulo […]

State Rep. Eleanor Chávez: “I’m gonna call it what it is… ICE is acting like the KKK”

A New Mexico state representative didn’t mince words when a state legislative committee overseeing courts and justice policy opened the floor for remarks on Wednesday. During the two-day meeting of the legislature’s Court, Corrections and Justice Committee State Representative Eleanor Chávez, a Democrat from Bernalillo County’s South Valley, recalled stories the committee had been told […]

A trail marker on the Lincoln National Forest in August 2023.

New Mexico delegation urges exclusion from Trump administration’s roadless rule rollback

New Mexico’s congressional delegation is demanding the Trump administration exclude the state from efforts to rescind federal protections for roadless areas in national forests, citing economic and safety concerns. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led the effort alongside Sen. Ben Ray Luján and Reps. Melanie […]