Public Safety

FBI: Bloomfield Man Charged With Murder

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Bloomfield man has been charged with second degree murder after allegedly fatally stabbing a man during an argument.

According to court documents, on May 20, 2026, Seviano Kee, 18, and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed John Doe with a kitchen knife during an argument, killing him. 

Kee is charged with second degree murder and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Kee faces up to life in prison. 

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent Read More

New Mexico Reports First Case Of Human Plague In 2026

NMDOH News:

SANTA FE — A Santa Fe County woman has died from plague—the first human case in New Mexico in 2026, the New Mexico Department of Health reports.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has reached out to close contacts of the woman and will conduct an environmental assessment to determine ongoing risk and confirm no other close contacts have symptoms consistent with plague.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the woman who passed away due to plague,” said Erin Phipps, state public health veterinarian for NMDOH. “This tragedy emphasizes the need for Read More

Interior Department Begins Nationwide Review Of Rock Climbing And Wilderness Study Area Management Policies

DOI News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced a 60-day public comment period on proposed recreational climbing guidance and potential updates to wilderness study area management policies for lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service.   

The Department is seeking public input on two important efforts:

  • First, establishing a consistent approach to recreational rock climbing management across designated wilderness areas; and
  • Second, evaluating whether existing wilderness study areas and
Read More

FBI: Three New Mexico Men Charged With Conspiracy To Transport Aliens And Conspiracy To Kill A Witness

FBI News:

A federal grand jury in the District of New Mexico returned a superseding indictment charging Wilfrido Saenz, 29; Ignacio Jaramillo, 22; and his brother, Ismael Jaramillo, 35, all of New Mexico, for their roles in a scheme to transport aliens and later murder a witness to that crime.

According to court documents, between June 2021 and April 2024, Saenz, Ignacio Jaramillo, and Ismael Jaramillo conspired to transport illegal aliens. Saenz and Ignacio Jaramillo are also charged with conspiracy to kill a witness in April 2024 in retaliation for providing law enforcement information Read More

DEA, UAF Announce National Partnership For Walk For Lives 2026 To Advance Fentanyl Free America

DEA News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 8, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and United Against Fentanyl (UAF) announced a national partnership in support of DEA’s Fentanyl Free America initiative. Walk for Lives 2026 is a coordinated series of more than 100 family-led community events across the United States on July 11, 2026. These events aim to bring increased attention to one of the country’s greatest public safety and health threats by uniting the federal government’s lead drug enforcement agency with the nation’s largest non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to ending Read More

Most Dangerous Places For People Walking Are Still Getting More Deadly

SGA News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new study by Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition identifies the deadliest metro areas for people walking in the United States. Dangerous by Design 2026 ranks all 50 states and the 101 largest metro areas for pedestrian deaths and finds the vast majority—more than 80%—have gotten more deadly over time.

In 2024, the year with the most recent complete federal data, 7,080 people were struck and killed while walking in the U.S. Despite modest improvements from historic highs in 2022, that number represents 72% more pedestrian fatalities Read More

FBI: New Mexico Man Gets Life In Federal Prison For 2023 Carjacking Murder

FBI News:

EL PASO — A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to life in prison for the carjacking, kidnapping and murder of a Las Cruces man, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in December 2023, Brayden Matthew Alvarado, 23, of Vado, New Mexico, carjacked a man before driving him onto Fort Bliss desert property and fatally shooting him in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun. 

On Dec. 13, 2023, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division conducted a crime scene investigation Read More

Rep. Vasquez Opposes $70 Billion Blank Check For ICE

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez

From the Office of U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On June 9, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) remained firm in his calls for reform and accountability at ICE, rejecting “MAGA extremists” latest request for another $70 billion blank check for ICE through the budget reconciliation process. 

“Last summer, ICE got a $75 billion blank check with no spending guardrails, and we all saw how those taxpayer funds were used—to terrorize folks without accountability, infringe on civil rights across the country, and murder American citizens in the streets,” Vasquez said. Read More

SFNF & National Forest Foundation To Begin Herbicide Application In Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Burned Area

SFNF News:

SANTA FE — The Santa Fe National Forest, in collaboration with the National Forest Foundation, will use a variety of vegetation management strategies to treat invasive species within the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon burned area starting this week.

The SFNF and NFF plan to treat 1,400 acres between June and October of this year, with the goal of treating a total of 4,200 acres over three to four years.

“By implementing adaptive invasive plant management strategies, such as targeted herbicide application, we can foster the recovery of native plants that are resilient against disturbances Read More

Supreme Court Clarifies Scope Of State’s Malpractice Law

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — The state Supreme Court ruled today that New Mexico’s medical malpractice law applies to Lovelace Health System for vicarious liability claims seeking to hold it responsible for the alleged malpractice of nurse employees in caring for a woman who died after surgery.

The Court unanimously concluded that Lovelace was entitled to the benefits of the Medical Malpractice Act for vicarious liability claims based on malpractice under the MMA because it was a qualified health care provider (QHP) under the statute. The MMA includes a cap on certain types of damages. 

“We hold that Read More