New Mexico AG announces 鈥榳ide-ranging鈥� investigation into child welfare agency 鈥�
New Mexico鈥檚 top state prosecutor says he will begin a formal investigation into what led up to the death of an Albuquerque teenager and the broader problems at the state鈥檚 beleaguered child welfare agency.
Searchlight New Mexico that earlier this month, 16-year-old Jaydun Garcia took his own life in a former Albuquerque halfway house built for girls transitioning out of juvenile detention.
New Mexico Attorney General Ra煤l Torrez held a new conference on Tuesday morning announcing a formal investigation into Garcia鈥檚 death, but also other incidents of children who have been harmed while in Children, Youth and Families Department custody.
鈥淭he State of New Mexico failed to protect this child,鈥� Torrez said. 鈥淭he State of New Mexico has failed to honor its legal and moral obligations under a variety of legal agreements that they have entered into.鈥�
Torrez said the public has very little information about what happened to Garcia, who was responsible for him in the days and weeks before his death and the decisions made and resources dedicated to preventing it.
鈥淗ow can we expect to improve that system if we don鈥檛 know what happened, if we don鈥檛 have answers, if we don鈥檛 have transparency?鈥� Torrez said. 鈥淚鈥檓 prepared to test the law in this space, and I鈥檓 prepared to advocate fundamentally for a change in the law, if that is what鈥檚 required.鈥�
The investigation is not limited to Garcia鈥檚 death but will extend to state agencies charged with protecting children, Torrez said.
The Department of Justice will conduct 鈥渁 comprehensive and wide-ranging investigation into various reports of children who have been referred to CYFD鈥� as victims of abuse and neglect, placed in congregate care and other facilities, improperly housed at CYFD offices, sexually assaulted in those offices, or abused by armed guards in those offices, Torrez said.
鈥淓nough is enough,鈥� Torrez said. 鈥淚 will not tolerate the excuses, the assurances, I think we have all grown tired of waking up and hearing about another child who鈥檚 been injured, another child who鈥檚 been hurt, another child in state custody who鈥檚 been killed, and for that reason, the New Mexico Department of Justice will initiate a formal investigation into the facts and circumstances that led up to the death Jaydun Garcia.鈥�
New Mexico Child First Network Founder and Executive Director Maralyn Beck, a former foster parent, joined Torrez at the news conference, saying Garcia鈥檚 death was preventable.
鈥淭he signs were there, and we should not be housing our children in warehouses of neglect like congregate care,鈥� Beck said. 鈥淥ne single call to Child Protective Services should have prevented this.鈥�
She said what foster children need to heal from their trauma is homes, and excellent parenting through committed, developmentally informed relationships with adults.
鈥淚t is through transparency, it is through peeling back the layer of confidentiality to figure out what happened,鈥� Beck said.
Disability Rights New Mexico Chief Executive Officer Gary Housepian also appeared alongside Torrez and Beck during the news conference. In a news release afterwards, Housepian said in a statement that Garcia鈥檚 death is 鈥渁 devastating reminder of what happens when vulnerable children 鈥� especially those with disabilities or behavioral health needs 鈥� fall through the cracks of a broken system.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e been raising alarms for years about placements in congregate settings, and it鈥檚 long past time for a comprehensive, independent investigation. We stand ready to coordinate our investigation of this death, monitoring of facilities and to support the Attorney General in demanding the transparency and accountability these children and youth deserve,鈥� Housepian said.
PROBE WILL GUIDE NEW OVERSIGHT OFFICE
The broader investigation into other incidents will develop a detailed record of events leading up to the deaths or great bodily injury of children under CYFD鈥檚 supervision but also the policies, procedures and people involved, the Department of Justice said in the news release.
The investigation will take several months, Torrez said. Its ultimate objective, he said, is to prepare a comprehensive report for the incoming Office of the Child Advocate, which New Mexico鈥檚 lawmakers in the most recent legislative session and is administratively attached to Torrez鈥檚 agency.
That report will be 鈥渁 blueprint of the issues that have plagued this agency and this state for decades,鈥� Torrez said.
The Department of Justice said in a news release that the new office was created 鈥渄espite Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 attempt to veto its funding.鈥� Even though Lujan Grisham signed the legislation to create the office, she $1.65 million that would have covered the start-up costs to create it, and
Torrez said he does not yet know if CYFD will resist the investigation, and he hopes the governor鈥檚 rhetoric around the legislation and the line-item veto are 鈥渘ot indicative of the administration鈥檚 position moving forward.鈥�
鈥淚 won鈥檛 be deterred in any way by the resistance of other stakeholders in this situation,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y hope is that can be avoided.鈥�
Source NM sent emails to spokespeople for CYFD and the governor seeking comment and will update this story as necessary.
Torrez鈥檚 agency is also calling on current and former case workers, foster families, and youth impacted by the system to come forward with information by going to the on its website or by calling (505) 490-4060. He also encouraged the public to sign up to become foster parents themselves.
He said he鈥檚 committed to getting the answers necessary 鈥渢o move this state and this agency in a new direction.鈥�
鈥淚t is my hope that by shining a light on the problems inside of the agency and on the problems that New Mexico has in protecting its most vulnerable children, that we will begin the necessary process of fulfilling not only our legal obligation to our most vulnerable citizens, but fulfilling our moral obligation to do right by these kids.鈥�
NM Gov鈥檚 Office of Housing moving to state workforce agency 鈥�
A small team of state employees focused on solving New Mexico鈥檚 housing crisis will move from the governor鈥檚 office to the state鈥檚 workforce agency, a temporary move while the informal office seeks a permanent home.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has sought statutory authority for a state Office of Housing from the New Mexico Legislature for the last two years, but legislation doing so failed in both sessions. Legislation would have empowered the four-person team to create a statewide strategy to solve the housing shortage and attached it administratively to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration, which received more than $100 million this legislative session to spend on housing and homelessness.
In a news release Monday, the governor鈥檚 office said the move to the Department of Workforce Solutions will create a strong connection between job creation and housing, plus allow for more accountability after the state鈥檚 significant investment in solving the housing crisis here.
鈥淭his move will ensure that the Office of Housing has the resources it needs to put these dollars to use solving our state鈥檚 housing shortage as we continue pursuing legislation to make the state鈥檚 housing and homelessness initiatives permanent,鈥� Lujan Grisham said in a statement.
The move comes a few weeks after the governor fired Daniel Werwath, her senior housing policy adviser tasked with, among other things, convincing lawmakers to approve a state Housing Office. Werwath that he tried to achieve 鈥渟ome systemic change around housing, which apparently there鈥檚 less appetite for than I had hoped.鈥�
The state lacks , according to recent estimates. Employers in Albuquerque, where lawmakers hope the majority of will occur, added 31,000 jobs in the last three years, but city developers added only 9,000 new housing units in that period, according to a from Pew Charitable Trusts.
In the coming months, Workforce Solutions Secretary Sarita Nair will come up with a recommendation for the office鈥檚 permanent home, governor鈥檚 spokesperson Michael Coleman told Source New Mexico.
鈥淚t could remain at DWS, move to another agency, or stand alone. There is no firm deadline for the recommendation. The governor is confident that DWS is the right place for the Office of Housing at this time,鈥� Coleman said in an email Tuesday.
Nair, in the news release, said one of the state workforce鈥檚 biggest challenges is finding affordable housing. Merging the housing office and the workforce agency will enable 鈥渟trong collaboration and accountability,鈥� she said.
NM governor pocket vetoes Native cultural schools bill due to accountability concerns 鈥�
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed a bill introduced this session to establish through a pilot program, the second time such a bill failed to make it through a recent session.
Sen. Benny Shendo Jr. (D-Jemez Pueblo) originally introduced the State-Tribal Education Compact Schools Act to allow pueblos, tribes and nations to enter into compacts with the New Mexico Public Education Department and establish Native language and cultural schools. The 2023 bill died in committee, but this year, found a lot of support.
SB13 was amended to limit the compacts to five schools under five-year pilot programs. It passed unanimously by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but Lujan Grisham failed to act on it by the April 11 deadline.
鈥淭he governor supports innovative approaches to Indigenous education; however, there were concerns about the bill exempting compact schools from accountability requirements without adequate implementation structure,鈥� a spokesperson for the governor鈥檚 office told Source NM in an email. 鈥淭he governor has directed PED to work closely with tribal governments, including Jemez Pueblo, to develop solutions that honor tribal sovereignty while ensuring quality education for all New Mexico students.鈥�
The bill would have made state-tribal compact schools exempt from state statutes and rules pertaining to curriculum and school evaluation requirements and would instead have required the schools to rely on the terms of the compact as determined between the petitioning tribe, nation or pueblo and the PED.
Shendo told Source NM that he was disappointed with the outcome, but said he was notified the pocket veto might occur. He added that he thought the concern was over the compact schools receiving state funds based on the public school funding formula 鈥� the method of calculating how much money each public school district receives based on how many students they have, the needs of the students and other factors.
鈥淥ur schools are going to be very small because we only have so many tribes,鈥� Shendo told Source.
He said he plans to work with the governor鈥檚 office and the PED during the interim to streamline the language in the bill and address concerns so it might be one of the governor鈥檚 priorities for the 2026 30-day legislative session.
鈥淯s as Indian tribes, we鈥檙e not going anywhere. We can wait another year, we鈥檝e been here a long time,鈥� Shendo said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e in it for the longhaul.鈥�
In New Mexico, bells toll for 鈥榓 man of the people鈥� and a voice for the poor - By Dan Boyd, Noah Alcala Bach and Gillian Barkhurst,
In the New Mexico city that shared its namesake with the pope, local residents and tourists alike bowed their heads Monday and reflected on the death of Jorge Mario Bergoglio 鈥� known to most as Pope Francis.
During a Monday evening memorial Mass that mixed English and Francis鈥檚 native tongue of Spanish, Archbishop of Santa Fe John Wester told a crowd of about 250 people at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi that Pope Francis had brought out the best of the Roman Catholic tradition.
鈥淗e warmed our hearts, strengthened our faith and challenged us to live the gospel,鈥� Wester said in his eulogy.
While the pope died nearly 6,000 miles away from New Mexico, Wester pointed out that Santa Fe鈥檚 initial name 鈥� Villa Real de la Santa F茅 de San Francisco de As铆s 鈥� was inspired by the same Italian saint from whom Pope Francis took his name.
The pope鈥檚 passing of a stroke followed a month of health concerns but came just a day after he delivered an Easter message and met with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, appearing to be in better health.
Pope Francis鈥� death dominated headlines worldwide, and in a state where 27% of adults identify as Catholic, the effects could be seen and felt.
At the Cathedral Basilica in Downtown Santa Fe, a steady stream of tourists and visitors stopped by the chapel Monday afternoon to pay their respects to Pope Francis. Dennis Brandon of Santa Fe wasn鈥檛 Catholic but said the late pope鈥檚 legacy drew him to the service.
鈥淗e was unique in so many ways,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淗e created a sense of positive faith for people from all walks of life.鈥�
Bruce Dennis of Connecticut, who was visiting New Mexico, said he came to the church primarily to get an up-close view of its architecture.
But he decided to also pay his respects to Pope Francis, saying, 鈥淚 thought he was a good man. He really was a man of the people.鈥�
While the Cathedral Basilica is usually closed on the Monday after Easter Sunday, it was opened for private worship after news spread of the pope鈥檚 death, said the Rev. John D. Cannon.
鈥楬e challenged the powerful on Earth鈥�
Most Catholic churches across Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Corrales typically sit vacant or dormant on Monday after the Easter weekend.
But in the North Valley just after 9 a.m. the bells at The Shrine of the Little Flower, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Parish, tolled as a small crowd from morning mass departed.
Though he was exhausted after 鈥渢he marathon of Lent and holy week,鈥� the head of the church, the Rev. Vincent Paul Ch谩vez, prepared for another mass service at noon and was planning for another the following day when the Catholic school students would return from Easter weekend.
鈥淗e is the pope that absolutely gave hope and joy to the poor of the world, to the poor of humanity, and he challenged the powerful on Earth, in a just, in a noble, dignified treatment,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淗e was very, very progressive, and tried to move the church forward.鈥�
In the South Valley, Glenn Rosendale, executive director of the Trinity House Catholic Worker, a small catholic ministry office that offers services to people in marginalized communities and those experiencing homelessness, sifted through mail while recalling his reaction to learning of the pope鈥檚 passing.
鈥淛oy,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sad, but he was 88, for heaven鈥檚 sakes, and whoever has lived such a good life? He died with his boots on. 鈥� He died giving a blessing, he died on Easter, that鈥檚 the whole point of our faith.鈥�
Rosendale also expressed his appreciation for the pope鈥檚 approach to immigration 鈥� noting his organization has housed migrants before 鈥� and for being a champion of the poor.
Just down the road, at the Holy Family Catholic Church, members gathered quietly for afternoon scripture. The group passed a replica of Pope Francis鈥檚 silver pectoral cross somberly between them.
鈥淗e was a pope of the people, like I鈥檝e never seen,鈥� said Jake Valencia. 鈥淗e was one of us.鈥�
New Mexicans recall pope鈥檚 humility
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the first person from Latin America, or the Southern Hemisphere, to take up the papacy; and the first non-European in more than a millennium.
Esther Lucero-Miner, the adult faith coordinator for the Holy Family Catholic Church, recalled the pope鈥檚 humility while holding a photo of the religious leader taken by members of the congregation who had met him on pilgrimage to the Vatican in years past.
鈥淗e could meet with the biggest leaders and the humblest of people 鈥� and he was the same,鈥� Lucero-Miner said.
While the San Felipe de Neri Cathedral, perhaps the most well known in Albuquerque, did not draw large crowds inside or out on Monday, retired Albuquerque Public Schools Principal Shelly Campbell and her husband, retired local attorney David Campbell stopped outside the church to pay their respects.
The couple also recalled seeing the pope during his 2016 visit to Ecuador during their time with the foreign service.
鈥淚t was actually an amazing experience, because he was close friends with a priest who was very important to the Guayaquil church, and he visited privately with this priest, and then he attended a large outdoor function that the locals all attended,鈥� Shelly Campbell said. 鈥淲e got to see him as he passed by our residents there.鈥�
According to news outlets that covered the event, the pope鈥檚 visits across the Central American country drew millions.
鈥淗e was in a very, very small vehicle, very humble vehicle. No, luxury vehicle or 鈥楶opemobile,鈥� he was like in a Fiat as he drove past,鈥� David Campbell said.
David Campbell also called the pope someone who 鈥渄id so much good and was revered by so many, and it will be hard to replace him,鈥� he said.
Shelly Campbell called him 鈥渁n important voice (at) this point in our history.鈥�
Many more services are expected to be held across New Mexico in the coming weeks as Francis is interred, and a new pope is chosen.
NM Delegation: Three national monuments could be reduced, eliminated-
In advance of an expected executive order on Tuesday, New Mexico鈥檚 federal delegation, led by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, requesting the federal government leave the state鈥檚 monuments intact.
鈥淣ational monuments are vitally important to our history and any proposals to reduce their boundaries will not be reflective of the voices of New Mexicans,鈥� the delegation wrote. 鈥淓ach monument in New Mexico represents years of community advocacy and support for the protection of the value they hold. In New Mexico, we have a $3.2 billion outdoor recreation sector and monuments are a significant contributor to this robust economy.鈥�
The letter particularly singles out , , and , which the letter says 鈥渁re under consideration for reduction or elimination.鈥�
Organ Mountains in the southern part of the state hosts 鈥渟ignificant petroglyph and archeological sites,鈥� the letter notes, while Rio Grande del Norte 鈥渂oasts some of New Mexico鈥檚 most prized recreational opportunities in an area where the Rio Grande carves an 800-foot gorge through historic volcanic activity鈥� and 鈥減rovides access for traditional use like pi帽on nut collection.鈥� Regarding Tent Rocks, the delegation notes that TIME included it on its list of the 鈥淣ot only is Tent Rocks 鈥榞eologically surreal,鈥� the letter says, 鈥渂ut it is also a sacred landscape to the Cochiti Pueblo.鈥�
鈥淭here is no greater value to these natural landscapes than what is brought to the community through their continued protection,鈥� the letter concludes. 鈥淲ithdrawing protections from these sites would threaten the economic benefits associated with New Mexico鈥檚 outdoor recreation economy and it undermines our community and tribal voices.鈥�
Arizona AG queries ICE about arrest of New Mexico man- Austin Fisher,
Arizona鈥檚 top state prosecutor is seeking more information about immigration officials鈥� arrest of a U.S. citizen from New Mexico earlier this month.
A federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for the District of Arizona on April 9 filed a criminal complaint against 19-year-old Jose Hermosillo, of Albuquerque.
The complaint alleges that on April 8, immigration agents found Hermosillo 鈥渨ithout proper immigration documents鈥� near Nogales, Arizona.
Arizona Public Media that Hermosillo and his girlfriend were visiting from Albuquerque to see family in Tucson, Arizona. The radio station reports that Hermosillo said he has never been to Nogales and that he was held in the Florence Correctional Center for 10 days.
A few days after the U.S. Marshals took Hermosillo to Florence, his family presented documents showing his U.S. citizenship, according to a statement provided to Source on Monday in response to an emailed inquiry to its Office of Public Affairs email address. The statement is attributable to a 鈥渟enior U.S. Department of Homeland Security official,鈥� the unsigned email said.
On Monday morning, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on X that her office had reached out to ICE for more information about Hermosillo鈥檚 arrest, 鈥渇or answers on how this was allowed to happen to an American citizen.鈥�
鈥淚t is wholly unacceptable to wrongfully detain U.S. citizens,鈥� she wrote.
A spokesperson for Mayes鈥� office told Source NM in an email that the request was made over the phone but declined to comment further.
The complaint, signed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent and a prosecutor, alleges that Hermosillo 鈥渁dmitted to illegally entering the United States from Mexico鈥� on April 7. It also wrongfully states that he is a 鈥渃itizen of Mexico.鈥�
According to the DHS official, Hermosillo 鈥渟aid he wanted to turn himself in and completed a sworn statement identifying as a Mexican citizen who had entered unlawfully.鈥濃�淭his arrest was the direct result of Hermosillo鈥檚 own actions and statements,鈥� the DHS official said.
A federal judge dismissed the case on April 17, court records show. The DHS official said Hermosillo was then released to his family.
The judge鈥檚 dismissal order states that the government moved to dismiss the case. In an email on Monday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for the District of Arizona declined to answer Source NM鈥檚 questions about the case, and wrote, 鈥淭he U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office does not have anything to add beyond what is found in the public record.鈥�
The case against Hermosillo is absent from a the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for the District of Arizona published three days after his arrest, in which the agency touted 鈥渋mmigration-related criminal charges鈥� it had filed in the previous week.
Requests for comment from ICE and Hermosillo鈥檚 attorney were not returned on Monday.
John Mitchell, immigrants鈥� rights attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, told Source NM that we don鈥檛 have a full account of what transpired in Hermosillo鈥檚 case but people who suffered a wrongful arrest or detention can generally seek relief by filing a complaint under the Federal Tort Claims Act, detailing any harm they suffered at the hands of the federal government鈥檚 agents. Someone who brings a claim would have to show that their arrest lacked probable cause and that the arrest caused a tangible injury, Mitchell said.
People can also bring suits against the government for violations of their constitutional rights under 42 U.S.C. 搂 1983, commonly known as Section 1983 claims, Mitchell said. These claims typically involve violations such as wrongful arrest or excessive force, and can result in monetary or injunctive relief against the government, he said.
鈥淚n both types of cases, a central and challenging issue is to connect the harm suffered to the relief sought (e.g. money),鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淥bviously, the duration of wrongful detention is important. Other details matter; what did officers say to the plaintiff or to each other? Any indications of animas or hostility? These can all factor in.鈥�
The Florence Correctional Center where Hermosillo was detained is a prison complex that CoreCivic privately owns and operates, Mitchell said. The prison holds, among others, immigrants in removal proceedings, he said.
In 2022, a Mexican national named Benjamin Gonzalez-Soto , Mitchell noted.
This story was updated following publication to include comment from the ACLU of Arizona.
South Carolina man gets life sentence for killing New Mexico officer - Associated Press
A South Carolina man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for gunning down a New Mexico state police officer who had stopped to help him.
The sentence stemmed from an agreement Jaremy Smith earlier this year. He had pleaded guilty to resulting in death, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen firearm.
He also is facing multiple charges in South Carolina, where he is accused of carjacking a woman and killing her before driving her car cross country. It was the gun he had stolen from the woman's roommate that authorities say he used to shoot the officer.
While then- opted at the time to not pursue the death penalty against Smith, it could be on the table with the pending state case in South Carolina, federal prosecutors have said.
The fatal shooting of Officer Justin Hare happened before dawn on March 15, 2024, along Interstate 40 near the community of Tucumcari. The killing , who was wounded and captured two days later in Albuquerque after authorities got a tip from a gas station clerk.
Ryan Ellison, the newly appointed U.S. attorney for the district of New Mexico, said Smith鈥檚 actions left a trail of destruction across state lines.
鈥淥fficer Justin Hare, a hero who saw someone in need and selflessly stepped in to help, paid the ultimate price,鈥� Ellison said in a statement. 鈥淲e honor his memory by ensuring that Jaremy Smith will never again be able to endanger the lives of others.鈥�
According to a criminal complaint, Hare was dispatched to help someone in a white BMW. He parked behind it and a man approached his patrol car on the passenger side. The two then began talking about a flat tire, and the officer offered Smith a ride to a nearby town because no repair shop was open at that hour.
Seconds later, Smith shot Hare, then went to the driver鈥檚 side and waited until traffic passed to shoot the officer again, according to dash camera video that was released as part of the investigation.
Authorities said Smith then pushed the officer into the passenger seat and drove away. Court records state the officer can be heard gasping for air on a body camera recording, and the duress signal on his radio was activated, alerting other officers.
Hare was found about an hour later, alive but fatally injured on the side of the road. The 35-year-old father had been with the state police agency since 2018.
State Police later learned the BMW had been reported missing in South Carolina and belonged to a woman who was killed there 鈥� Phonesia Machado-Fore, a 52-year-old paramedic. Her body was found in a neighboring county, still wearing pajamas and house slippers, and her wrists showing signs that she had been bound.
Authorities had used cellphone data and the car's GPS location data to track Smith and Machado-Fore's movements.
Authorities had said Smith had a long criminal history. A review of South Carolina Department of Corrections records showed he spent time in prison for attempted armed robbery and hostage-taking before being released on parole in Marion County in December 2023. The records also showed numerous infractions while he was incarcerated from possessing a weapon to attacking or attempting to injure employees and inmates.
Navajo advocates condemn energy actions, call for government accountability- Hannah Grover,
Navajo Nation advocates urged their leaders to stand against federal attempts to increase uranium extraction on Din茅 lands and the transport of uranium ore across the reservation.
The advocates spoke Monday as Tribal leaders gathered in Window Rock, Arizona, for the start of the spring Navajo Council session.
The coalition of advocates say they want more transparency and accountability from the Navajo Nation leaders, especially President Buu Nygren.
The speakers expressed concerns that tribal leaders could repeat the mistakes of the past that have left Navajo Nation lands scarred with abandoned uranium mines and oil and gas infrastructure. They also spoke out against a push to increase coal mining and power production even as plants on and around the reservation have closed in recent years or are scheduled to shut down.
They say Nygren and other Tribal leaders should stand up against future coal, oil and gas development on Navajo lands and should stop the transport of uranium ore across the reservation.
The protest comes after Nygren issued a statement of support for President Donald Trump鈥檚 executive order supporting coal development.
In his , Nygren noted that the Navajo Transitional Energy Company was the third largest producer of coal in the country in 2024.
鈥淚f the federal government is serious about increasing domestic energy production, enhancing permitting, and bolstering energy security, it must work in partnership with tribal nations,鈥� Nygren said in his statement supporting Trump鈥檚 executive order. 鈥淭ogether, we can strengthen local economies, generate revenue, and create good-paying jobs in historically underinvested areas like ours.鈥�
The sole remaining coal-fired power plant in New Mexico is located on Navajo Nation lands and is partially owned by NTEC.
During the protest, speakers altered between Din茅 bizaad 鈥� the Navajo language 鈥� and English as they called for action and accountability from their Tribal leaders.
鈥淥ur lands have been affected by oil and gas, coal, uranium mining, and there鈥檚 a lot of waste issues associated with all of that extraction that has happened on our land,鈥� Robyn Jackson with the advocacy group Din茅 CARE said.
Jackson, who is a resident of Wheatfields, Arizona, spoke about the potential for future extractive industry and the impacts of climate change on the Nation.
She said there are proposals for increased oil and gas drilling, coal mining and 鈥渁lso some projects out there that haven鈥檛 really been tested elsewhere, but they want to test it on Navajo lands.鈥�
Jackson gave the example of carbon sequestration and hydrogen pipelines.
The advocates say the Navajo Nation should not be used as a test site for emerging technologies, including the that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated as a possible means to clean up abandoned uranium mine waste.
These proposals come even as residents of the Navajo Nation do not have access to water either for irrigation or drinking.
While many Navajo Nation residents may not have access to water, energy projects such as coal-fired power plants have drawn on water resources. The Four Corners Power Plant, which began operating in the mid-1960s, uses about 14.3 million gallons of water daily, which is drawn from the San Juan River, according to the advocates.
In other parts of the Navajo Nation, water resources have been contaminated by the uranium industry. While uranium mining ended on the Nation in 1986, a renewed interest in nuclear power has led to increased interest in uranium extraction. This comes even as existing abandoned uranium sites remain unremediated on the Navajo Nation.
Jackson spoke about the toll the uranium industry has had on the Navajo Nation.
鈥淭here isn鈥檛 one Din茅 family who hasn鈥檛 lost someone to something like cancer,鈥� she said.
The advocates condemned the Nygren administration鈥檚 support for the failed state , which would have impacted efforts to move uranium mine waste from the Church Rock area to a landfill near Thoreau.
They further demanded that no new uranium mining occur on lands near the . Mount Taylor is a sacred site for several Indigenous tribes including the Navajo Nation.
Cheyenne Antonio 鈥� the energy organizer with Din茅 CARE who is from Pueblo Pintado, a community near Chaco Culture National Historical Park 鈥� spoke about the trauma that the extractive industries 鈥渉ave inflicted on our people.鈥�
鈥淲e need to start shaming our leaders for selling us out,鈥� Antonio said.