News

Albuquerque, NM – ​There is no excuse – and no legal authority – for the abusive misconduct we are witnessing on the streets of Portland. When masked federal agents grab fellow citizens off the street and detain them without probable cause, they are violating their oath to uphold the constitution and bringing dishonor to all those in federal service who place their lives on the line so that we can live in a free society.

As a former federal prosecutor, I have a deep appreciation for the important but constitutionally limited role that federal law enforcement plays in our society. I also believe that our federal partners have already made and will continue to make an important contribution to reducing violent crime on the streets of our community. However, in light of the President’s alarming and somewhat confused statements about the purpose behind deploying additional federal agents to communities like ours, I have asked the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to certify in writing that any additional agents limit their enforcement activities to their traditional role of investigating organized crime, high level drug trafficking and gun violence. I have also made it clear that should any federal officer exceed their statutory authority and engage in activities that are constitutionally reserved for local law enforcement, that I am prepared to go to court to challenge such activity.

– Bernalillo County District Attorney Raúl Torrez

Contact:
Brandale Mills Cox, Ph.D.
Communications Director
Office of the Second Judicial District Attorney 520 Lomas Blvd NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-231-0217 brandale.mills-cox@da2nd.state.nm.us