New Mexico
NMDOT to host second meeting on I-25 rebuild in South Valley
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Department of Transportation will host a meeting Tuesday on the rebuild of I-25 in a stretch of the South Valley.
They’re inviting the public to learn about design plans and the environmental impact of the reconstruction of I-25 between Avenida Cesar Chavez and the Sunport. NMDOT is also looking for public input on these plans.
The meeting is Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Herman Sanchez Community Center near Broadway and Anderson. The NMDOT project team will conduct a presentation and Q&A at 6:30 p.m. with an open house format before and after.
“The Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service will now initiate a process to propose that the Secretary of the Interior implement a 20-year withdrawal to help secure the region’s water and air quality, cultural resources, critical fish and wildlife habitat, and recreational values,” the Department of the Interior stated in a press release.
For several years, members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation have pushed for legislation to permanently withdraw the Pecos watershed from mineral development.
Earlier this month, US senator Martin Heinrich and other Democrats from New Mexico urged the Forest Service to complete the initial steps of the mineral withdrawal process.
They warned that the area remains vulnerable to mining and pollution, referencing a 1991 incident when toxic waste from a closed mine spilled into the Pecos River. The spill killed fish along an 11-mile stretch and required an extensive and costly cleanup.
Since Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, the Biden administration has acted to limit oil drilling and block mining. Meanwhile, the president-elect has pledged to expedite permits.
The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently finalized restrictions on an oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the largest wildlife refuge in the country. The decision limits lease sales to 400,000 acres, one-quarter of the refuge’s coastal plain section.
New Mexico’s Democratic governor has firmly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to deploy the National Guard in support of mass deportations, slamming the policy as detrimental to both families and the state’s economy.
Trump has repeatedly pledged to deploy the National Guard to enact his mass deportation policy and promised to shut down the CBP One app, end the catch-and-release policy, and reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” program as part of his hard-line immigration agenda.
In an exclusive statement to Newsweek, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham stressed her commitment to opposing policies that she believes would “wreak havoc” on New Mexico’s workforce and communities.
“We’ll use every legal tool at our disposal to challenge mass deportations, and we’ll join with other states in doing so because there is strength in numbers,” said Lujan Grisham.
Chip Somodevilla
“I will not assign the New Mexico National Guard to assist with mass deportations that break up families and wreak havoc on our economy in New Mexico. Federalizing the guard so that we have no one here to deal with natural disasters and other emergencies is untenable,” Lujan Grisham told Newsweek.
The governor’s statement comes as Trump has made immigration a key issue in his agenda, with plans for aggressive deportation policies and a crackdown on illegal immigration. Lujan Grisham, however, expressed concern about the broader implications of such measures on both the state’s residents and its resources.
While opposing mass deportations, Lujan Grisham made it clear that she is willing to cooperate with the federal government to address criminal activity related to immigration. She said that New Mexico would welcome the assistance of additional federal agents.
“We want every resource available that assists with investigations, interdictions, and deportations of convicted felons and those who enter our country and engage in criminal activity. If the incoming Trump administration wants to assign more federal agents to work with us in that regard, it is welcomed. This is where our focus should be.”
Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been put in charge of overseeing mass deportations.
The newly appointed border czar has repeatedly criticised Democrats who are unwilling to cooperate with the incoming administration.
Newsweek understands the governor has not spoken with Homan since the president announced his nomination.
Lujan Grisham also called on Congress to revive and pass a stalled bipartisan border security bill, advocating for a more comprehensive solution to immigration challenges.
“If President-elect Trump and Republicans who will soon control both chambers of Congress want to solve the larger immigration challenge, they should revive and pass the stalled bipartisan immigration bill,” she said.
“If they’re serious about securing the border as opposed to just grandstanding on this issue, they’ll pass the bill.”
In response, Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Newsweek Trump will carry out “the largest deportation operation” in U.S. history and lower costs for Americans.
“President Trump will enlist every federal power and coordinate with state authorities to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers in American history while simultaneously lowering costs for families and strengthening our workforce,” the incoming White House press secretary said.
“The American people reelected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, like deporting migrant criminals and restoring our economic greatness. He will deliver.”
New Mexico, a border state with significant immigrant populations, has been at the center of debates on immigration enforcement. Lujan Grisham’s position adds her to a growing list of state leaders who are preparing to challenge the incoming administration’s controversial immigration policies.
Democrats across the nation are spearheading a wave of grassroots activism, legal actions, and legislative initiatives to safeguard immigrant communities.
Trump has vowed to go after those admitted into the United States under programs established to protect migrants from certain countries.
A letter signed by seven leading Democratic Party senators seen by Newsweek was sent to President Joe Biden, asking him to act now to protect current legal migrants.
Lujan Grisham urged the president-elect and the American public to adopt more respectful rhetoric when discussing immigrants.
“I urge the President-elect and all Americans to use respectful rhetoric when talking about migrants who are seeking a better life, or anyone else for that matter,” Lujan Grisham said.
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