AGP Executive Report

Federal Drug Enforcement: The DEA allegedly “walked” fentanyl into New Mexico from 2023 to 2025—monitoring shipments without seizing them to build bigger cases—while a whistleblower and records reviewed by the AP say the tactic gambled with public safety and may have violated Justice Department rules. Local Land-Use Fight: Raton residents and officials are pushing back against a proposed AI data center, citing water, energy use, and disruption, as the city moves through steps that could pave the way. Border Wall Court Battle: A New Mexico Catholic diocese is fighting DHS in court to stop seizure of 14 acres for a border wall near Mount Cristo Rey, arguing it would desecrate a 29-foot Jesus statue and violate religious freedom. Public Safety & Infrastructure: NMDOT plans nighttime demolition work on the old I-25 Montgomery bridge starting June 28, with major detours and “Texas U-turn” changes at interchanges. Health & Policy Watch: A new U.S. Education dashboard tracks foreign gifts and contracts to colleges under Section 117, but critics warn it may be misleading without context. State Politics & Elections: New Mexico’s Democratic Lt. Gov. race has been thrown into flux after Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended her campaign, citing health.

Border Wall Fight in Las Cruces: A Catholic diocese is fighting DHS efforts to use eminent domain to seize 14 acres at Mount Cristo Rey for Trump’s border wall, arguing the plan would desecrate a holy landmark and violate religious liberty. Public Safety in Lincoln County: After a welfare check led to a standoff, Lincoln County deputies say a man fired at them with an air rifle; he was later arrested and faces aggravated assault charges. Heat, Fire, and Evacuations: Utah’s Iron wildfire forced evacuations of Eureka as extreme heat and drought keep fire risk high across the West. Drug-Tracking via Wastewater: Cities are testing wastewater for illicit drugs to spot outbreaks early and warn communities—Tempe, Arizona is among the latest examples. Screwworm Alert: New World screwworm cases have been detected in Texas and New Mexico, prompting expanded public guidance and reporting tools. NM GOP Leadership Clash: The New Mexico Supreme Court denied an appeal to block Amy Barela from stepping down as Republican Party chair after a dispute tied to her primary campaign. Utility Sale Scrutiny: New Mexico regulators’ hearing examiners recommended approval of the New Mexico Gas Co. sale, but redactions show concerns about whether oversight will truly hold after the deal. First Responder Mental Health: Albuquerque hosted a premiere of “The Call,” a documentary on firefighters’ and first responders’ mental health gaps. Local Law Enforcement in Sunland Park: The city says it’s ramping up patrols and adding cameras and license plate readers to curb illegal trespassing and gunfire near “The Wall.”

New Mexico GOP Power Struggle: The New Mexico Supreme Court denied Amy Barela’s appeal, keeping her ouster as chair of the state Republican Party in place after a district court order tied to her contested primary run. Lt. Gov Democratic Shuffle: Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended her lieutenant governor campaign for health and family reasons, prompting a scramble over who could fill the vacancy; Stephanie Garcia Richard says she’d step forward if called. Public Safety in Sunland Park: Sunland Park officials say they’re ramping up patrols and adding license plate readers and cameras after complaints about illegal shootings and trespassing near “The Wall” by the Doña Ana County jetport. FBI Enforcement Push: DOJ announced results of Operation Spring Cleaning, citing 1,100 arrests and major seizures of firearms and drugs nationwide, including in Albuquerque. Medicaid Spending Snapshot: New Mexico local billing data shows big year-over-year jumps in categories like dental services and temporary codes across multiple communities, underscoring shifting health-care costs. Epstein Files Watch: New reporting highlights what’s allegedly missing from the DOJ’s Epstein Files Transparency release, keeping pressure on the scope of disclosures.

Democratic ticket shake-up: New Mexico’s political scramble intensified after outgoing Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended her lieutenant governor campaign, prompting questions about who fills the vacancy and whether voters’ primary choice is being overridden. State government oversight: A new Legislative Finance Committee report spotlights Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s heavy reliance on emergency orders—811 orders since 2023 enabling nearly $554 million in spending without legislative approval—raising concerns about timing and contracting. Border security debate: Lawmakers and analysts are pushing back on the military’s growing southern border mission, arguing it distracts from training and readiness while troops face escalating cartel threats. Public safety enforcement: DOJ announced results from FBI’s Operation Spring Cleaning, citing more than 1,100 arrests, nearly 1,000 illegal firearms seized, and large narcotics totals. Health care spending snapshot: Medicaid billing data show sharp local increases in multiple categories, including Santa Teresa’s 47.5% jump in Temporary National Codes (Non-Medicare) spending and rising Dental Services claims in several communities. Local governance: Bayard will hold a special meeting on whether to carry out or extend an abatement order tied to a damaged house demolition. Tech and courts: A New Mexico-linked Meta case is highlighted as part of a broader “Big Tobacco moment” for Big Tech, with more lawsuits winding through courts nationwide. Scam alert: Albuquerque residents are being targeted with fake invitation emails/texts that can steal account access and spread to contacts.

Education Watch: A new opinion piece argues New Mexico’s education system is “structured to fail,” pointing to leadership experience gaps at the Public Education Department. Border Wall Court Fight: The Diocese of Las Cruces asks a federal judge to block the U.S. from immediately taking land at Mount Cristo Rey for border wall construction, arguing the rush could override its legal challenge. Public Health: The CDC reports measles has spread to 41 states and logged three deaths, with New Mexico among the jurisdictions listed. Local Governance: Questa’s green hydrogen facility faces renewed scrutiny as safety and water studies are weighed against drought concerns and questions about mayor John Ortega’s ties to the utility. Military & Safety: A preliminary NTSB report says GPS jamming by the U.S. military may have contributed to a deadly medical plane crash in the Capitan Mountains. State Politics/Policy: New Mexico’s Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended the lieutenant governor campaign of Maggie Toulouse Oliver, citing health issues, triggering a Democratic scramble. National Politics: Tech giants lobby Congress for protections from child-harm lawsuits, as lawmakers debate online safety rules for kids. Community & Culture: Women veterans were honored at an event at the Hill Country Veterans Center.

Screwworm Response: New Mexico lawmakers and U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernández unveiled the Protecting America’s Herds Act after the New World screwworm reached the state, following a first Lea County dog case and a broader regional spread that has now triggered emergency actions and federal funding. State Politics: New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended her lieutenant governor campaign, citing health, and Democrats will pick a replacement through the party’s state central committee process. Local Government: Rio Rancho council heard presentations from the Sandoval Economic Alliance and the regional chamber of commerce amid questions about economic development goals and funding. Education & Institutions: UNM-Gallup appointed Joe Kee interim dean of instruction effective July 1 as leadership transitions continue. Economic Development: New Mexico and Albuquerque backed BlackVe’s expansion, aiming to create 152 high-paying jobs tied to spacecraft manufacturing. Federal/Policy Watch: Meta is lobbying for immunity from child-safety lawsuits as Congress weighs youth online safety rules, with New Mexico’s recent Meta liability case adding pressure. Aviation Safety: The NTSB preliminary report tied GPS jamming to a deadly May air ambulance crash in the Capitan Mountains area.

Lieutenant Governor Shake-Up: New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended her Democratic campaign for lieutenant governor, citing health changes, triggering a scramble to replace her on the November ballot. Child Care Funding: NM Higher Education Department announced $10 million to expand campus child care, with grants to UNM, NMSU, ENMU-R, San Juan College, and Santa Fe Community College. Screwworm Response: After New Mexico’s first New World screwworm case, state leaders backed the Protect America’s Herds Act to fund training, inspections, and reporting; meanwhile, Texas and federal officials continue sterile-fly and surveillance efforts. Epstein Oversight: New Mexico’s Epstein truth-finding commission issued new subpoenas to U.S. Attorneys’ offices in multiple states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, seeking records on whether prosecutors declined to pursue charges. Behavioral Health Pressure: A Legislative Finance Committee report says New Mexico spent about $843.5M since 2022 on behavioral health, but access problems persist and overdose deaths rose in 2025. Legal Fight: Actor Timothy Busfield asked a New Mexico court to quash his grand jury indictment, alleging prosecutorial misconduct and withheld exculpatory material. Local Government Watch: Gallup’s FY27 budget preview includes a 5% wage increase and staffing changes as the city heads toward its June 30 fiscal year-end.

Truth Commission Pushes Epstein Subpoenas: New Mexico’s Epstein “Truth Commission” announced nine more subpoenas to federal prosecutors and state agencies, extending its probe of Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch and related records. Epstein Probe Friction: A former NM attorney general says federal officials sidelined his investigation early, claiming they had the “bigger hammer” and would coordinate—raising questions about what NM authorities were kept out of. GPS Jamming Crash Update: Federal investigators say military GPS jamming was active during a fatal May crash in the Capitan Mountains, with pilots reportedly warned to expect interference; the NTSB preliminary report points to discrepancies between ADS-B and onboard tracking data. Pride Month Rebranding: Several Republican-led states are issuing alternative June labels tied to “traditional” family messaging, including “Nuclear Family Month” in Tennessee and Indiana. Energy Financing Boost: New Mexico lawmakers moved to bolster the C-PACE commercial clean-energy financing program, letting more projects qualify and aiming to spur building efficiency upgrades. Behavioral Health Scrutiny: A legislative finance committee hearing says NM has spent about $843.5M since 2022 on behavioral health, but outcomes aren’t matching the investment, with overdose deaths rising. Lt. Gov Race Shakeup: Maggie Toulouse Oliver suspended her lieutenant governor campaign citing health changes, leaving Democrats to select a replacement. Screwworm Response: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins visited Texas as the sterile-fly program ramps up to contain the New World screwworm, amid warnings about warming weather making spread harder.

New Mexico Highlands University: The Board of Regents says fired president Neil Woolf “rigged” hiring and procurement, mismanaged finances, retaliated against staff, and signed unauthorized contracts—setting up a major state oversight fight. Open Government & Courts: Colfax County’s detention-center payment lawsuit now hinges on whether commissioners ever properly authorized it, after a judge dismissed former county manager Mary Lou Kern from the case. Albuquerque Services: The city’s 311 line will stop taking Sunday calls, a budget-driven change that councilor Renee Grout says could reduce access to basic reporting. Epstein Probe: New Mexico’s Epstein Truth Commission has issued its first batch of subpoenas, including requests tied to Bill Richardson and Zorro Ranch, while the state also sent record-preservation letters to major tech and finance companies. Public Safety: DOJ says “Operation Spring Cleaning” led to 1,100 arrests and major gun/drug seizures, including arrests in New Mexico. Aviation Safety: The NTSB preliminarily confirms military GPS jamming was active during a deadly air ambulance crash near Ruidoso. Energy & Tech: New Mexico Tech helped launch DETECT, a statewide energy data platform; Sandia and Quantinuum reported high-fidelity results from a commercial quantum system. Economy & Policy: A new analysis argues New Mexico’s “tax spending” figures overstate actual outlays, since many incentives are tax reductions, not direct spending. Universal Child Care: A judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging New Mexico’s universal free child care rollout, while supporters push back on implementation critiques. Colorado River: Arizona faces potential 77% cuts if Upper and Lower Basin states can’t reach a deal.

Screwworm showdown: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins toured Texas as the New World screwworm spreads, warning it could devastate cattle and saying Biden-era cuts and Trump-era USDA disruption are fueling the crisis. Federal-oversight fight: New Mexico AG Raúl Torrez asked a Santa Fe judge to order Meta to pay $953 million over alleged harm to youth mental health, arguing Meta’s design features drive depression, eating disorders, and suicide risk. State budget transparency: The Legislative Finance Committee flagged Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s heavy use of emergency orders—811 orders since 2023 enabling nearly $554 million in spending without legislative approval. Ethics and dark money: The NM State Ethics Commission voted to seek more info, possibly via lawsuit, into “New Chapter New Mexico” after it spent $400,000+ in the June 2 Democratic primary without disclosing donors. National parks funding dispute: NM Rep. Gabe Vasquez and other Democrats demanded Interior explain how national park fees were redirected to D.C. renovations ahead of July 4. Local governance: Silver Consolidated Schools board approved 2026-27 student handbooks after scrutinizing dress-code and culture-related wording. Election politics: NM Senate Democratic floor leader Peter Wirth said he won’t seek reelection or leadership in 2028.

State Senate Power Shift: After 22 years, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth says he won’t seek reelection in 2028 and will step down as floor leader, setting up a scramble for his seat and top leadership role. SNAP Funding Pressure: New Mexico faces major federal SNAP fallout after audits found a 16.6% error rate (about 17%), with lawmakers warning the state could be forced to cover up to $173 million a year under new federal rules. Food Assistance Fraud Scrutiny: A separate Legislative Finance Committee report says New Mexico’s low confirmed fraud rate may be misleading because investigators are under-identifying potential cases. Kalshi Prediction-Market Fight: The CFTC is backing its claim of sole authority over prediction markets, escalating a New Mexico lawsuit over Kalshi’s sports-betting app and state gambling law. Screwworm Response at the Border: New World screwworm cases keep climbing, with Eunice described as “ground zero” for New Mexico’s active response and quarantine steps underway. Legal Aid Under Strain: New Mexico Legal Aid says it may lay off workers after federal funding cuts, even as it continues helping residents facing foreclosure and other civil crises.

Legal Fight: The U.S. Justice Department sued the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Board of Bar Examiners, alleging they violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by refusing to recognize out-of-state law licenses for qualifying service members and spouses. State Politics: Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth says he won’t seek leadership again and won’t run for a sixth term, setting up a caucus vote for a new majority floor leader before the 2027 session. Campaign Finance: The New Mexico State Ethics Commission voted to demand action—and if needed file a civil case—against New Chapter New Mexico over alleged Campaign Reporting Act violations tied to heavy primary spending. Ethics & Tech: New Chapter’s Medicaid campaign marketing firm is recruiting influencers to promote “Project Jupiter,” a controversial Doña Ana County AI data center, drawing fresh scrutiny from ethics regulators. Public Works: NMDOT is asking for public help naming new “Advanced U-turn” features on the I-25 corridor near Comanche Road and Montgomery Boulevard. Agriculture Emergency: New World screwworm cases keep climbing, with Texas and New Mexico among the affected states, raising alarms for ranchers and pet owners.

Screwworm Emergency: USDA confirmed 12 New World screwworm cases, including a pet dog in New Mexico, as officials push rapid detection and treatment and expand sterile-fly response. Border & Courts: A federal judge approved the U.S. government’s plan to deposit funds in a border-barrier fight involving land owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces. Water Politics: New federal modeling projects Lake Mead falling back to record-low levels by July and staying there for much of the next two years, with Colorado River negotiations stalled. Local Governance: Albuquerque published a bill amending its police oversight ordinance to clarify the Civilian Police Oversight Agency’s investigative authority. Energy: SunZia’s massive wind project began commercial operations in New Mexico, boosting regional clean power. Economy/Tribal Business: The Navajo Nation Economic Summit drew entrepreneurs and investors to Twin Arrows for talks on business, housing, and infrastructure. GOP Power Struggle: New Mexico Republicans will hold a Las Cruces meeting to pick a new state party chair after a judge ordered Amy Barela to step down.

USDA/Screwworm Response: The New World screwworm is now confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, with officials warning the flesh-eating parasite could hit livestock and pets and raise food prices if ranchers don’t spot and treat wounds fast. Federal Courts & Military Families: The U.S. Justice Department sued the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Board of Bar Examiners over alleged violations of federal law for denying a military spouse a New Mexico law license. Prediction Markets Fight: The CFTC is in a fresh clash with New Mexico over prediction market oversight, while Kalshi says it’s using an internal AI agent to help decide which markets to launch as trading volume tops $5B. State Politics: Otero County Commissioner Amy Barela is trying to reclaim the New Mexico GOP chair role after the state Supreme Court upheld her removal, with the party set to pick a new chair June 20. Environment & Forest Health: A new analysis finds New Mexico tree deaths tripled in 2025 as warming summers fueled bark beetle-caused mortality. Energy/Infrastructure: SunZia’s wind project is slated to begin commercial operation, with major power export plans tied to a long transmission buildout.

Prediction Markets Clash: The CFTC sued New Mexico and state gaming officials to stop enforcement against Kalshi, arguing the sports-event contracts are federal commodities “swaps” under CFTC exclusive jurisdiction—after New Mexico sued Kalshi last month over alleged unlicensed sports betting. Agriculture & Public Safety: The New World screwworm outbreak is now 12 confirmed cases nationwide (11 in Texas, 1 in New Mexico), with USDA releasing sterile flies and expanding surveillance; Florida also moved to block shelter pet imports from affected states. State Courts & Legal System: DOJ is suing New Mexico’s Supreme Court and Board of Bar Examiners over servicemembers civil rights, while New Mexico Courts HelpLine expands access to civil legal guidance. Energy Politics: Democratic nominee Deb Haaland unveiled a renewable-energy plan aimed at lowering utility costs and pushing data-center power infrastructure onto large users. Local Accountability: A state audit says the Village of Cuba, N.M. had a sustained breakdown in oversight of public funds, including a reported unpaid water-bill issue and questionable purchases. Infrastructure: Albuquerque’s Sunport Boulevard bridge work starts June 15, with traffic reduced to one lane each direction.

Screwworm Fight: USDA says New World screwworm infestations have reached 12 confirmed cases nationwide—11 in Texas and the first in New Mexico, a dog in Lea County—raising alarms for ranchers and pets as sterile-fly releases and quarantines ramp up. Federal Courts & Voting: The DOJ is pressing states to share sensitive voter registration data under “confidential” agreements, even as multiple courts have dismissed parts of the effort and litigation continues in New Mexico and many other states. Legal Fallout in Santa Fe: A federal lawsuit targets the New Mexico Supreme Court and the Board of Bar Examiners over licensing rules for spouses of transferred military servicemembers. Childcare Program Challenge: A New Mexico judge rejected a lawsuit challenging Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s universal childcare program, clearing the way for the policy to continue. Healthcare Access Debate: A local column argues compact medical licenses won’t fix New Mexico’s deeper provider shortages, clinic closures, and long patient wait times. Environment & Predators: Conservation groups sued federal agencies over predator control killings in designated wilderness areas, including actions by Wildlife Services. Energy & Economy: A report highlights BLM’s record oil-and-gas lease sale, with New Mexico receiving roughly $2 billion in bonus bids and rentals.