>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO In FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> Lou: THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, FEDERAL COMPLAINT FILED.

AN ATTORNEY AT THE NEW MEXICO IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AT A PRIVATELY OWNED PRISON IN TORRENCE COUNTY.

>> Genovese: WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ADVOCATES IN THIS COMPLAINT WAS DETAILING THE ONGOING ISSUES AT THIS FACILITY SINCE IT'S REOPENED, NON-STOP ISSUES.

>> Lou: AND, THE APPROACH NEW MEXICO'S U.S. ATTORNEY IS USING TO TACKLE GUN VIOLENCE AND THE REST OF HIS JOB.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

>> Lou: THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

I'M SENIOR PRODUCER LOU DiVIZIO.

DENYING BASIC RIGHTS FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS, LIKE ACCESS TO LAWYERS, THAT ACCUSATION IS AT THE CENTER OF A FEDERAL COMPLAINT FILED LAST MONTH BY THE NEW MEXICO IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER AND SEVERAL OTHER ADVOCACY GROUPS OVER CONDITIONS AT THE TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY.

IN 15 MINUTES, NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFF PROCTOR ASKS SOPHIA GENOVESE, AN ATTORNEY WITH THE LAW CENTER, ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES HER GROUP SAYS ARE CONTINUING AT THE PRISON IN THE MOUNTAINS EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE.

THEN LATER IN THE SHOW, NEWS ABOUT THE ALBUQUERQUE STRETCH OF THE RIO GRANDE NEARING ITS DRYING POINT FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, AND ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN 40 YEARS.

I'LL EXPLAIN THE WARNING FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE CONSERVANCY DISTRICT TO PEOPLE WHO RELY ON IRRIGATION FROM THE RIVER.

NOW, AS NEW MEXICO In FOCUS FINDS ITS NEW FOOTING THIS YEAR, WE WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TONIGHT TO REINTRODUCE A FEW OF OUR REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS.

IN THE SECOND HALF OF OUR SHOW, WE SIT IN ON A CONVERSATION WITH THREE OF OUR LEAD CORRESPONDENTS, GWYNETH DOLAND, RUSSELL CONTRERAS AND ANTONIA GONZALES, AS THEY TALK A BIT ABOUT THE WORK OUR VIEWERS CAN EXPECT FROM THEM MOVING FORWARD.

BUT WE BEGIN WITH U.S. ATTORNEY ALEXANDER UBALLEZ IN A LENGTHY INTERVIEW AS HE BEGINS HIS SECOND YEAR SERVING THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO.

IN THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THIS TWO-PART CONVERSATION, NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS CORRESPONDENT RUSSELL CONTRERAS ASKS MR. UBALLEZ ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND, AND HIS WORK TO ADDRESS THE STATE'S TROUBLED HISTORY OF MURDERD AND MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN >> Russell: ALEX, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE AT NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Uballez: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Russell: BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON YOUR ROLE AS U.S. ATTORNEY, TAKE ME BACK TO WHERE YOU GREW UP.

WHO WAS YOUR FAMILY, AND HOW DID YOU GET HERE?

>> Uballez: SO I GREW UP IN THE BAY AREA OF CALIFORNIA TO AN IMMIGRANT MOTHER AND A FATHER WHO IS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE FROM EAST L.A.

MOST OF MY FAMILY ON MY FATHER'S SIDE IS STILL IN L.A.

HE GREW UP IN LINCOLN HEIGHTS THERE AND WENT TO LINCOLN HIGH.

MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN CHINA AND IMMIGRATED HERE WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 7 YEARS OLD.

THEY MET IN L.A. MY DAD WAS A MUSICIAN.

HE WAS A ROCKER.

MY MOM WAS A COSTUME DESIGNER.

SO THEY MET DOWN THERE AND THEY MOVED UP TO THE BAY, WHERE I WAS RAISED, IN THE BAY AREA, FROM MARTINEZ, AND THEN HIGH SCHOOL IN OAKLAND.

>> Russell: YOUR FATHER, YOU SAID HE WAS A ROCKER, BUT HE WAS A LEGEND TO EAST LA CHICANO HISTORY.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

>> Uballez: HAPPILY.

I'M JUST SO PROUD OF MY DAD AND THE THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE IN HIS LIFE.

IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW MUCH YOU GET DONE AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE JUST BY BEING CREATIVE AND PASSIONATE AND COMMUNITY ORIENTED.

HE WAS BORN IN THE PROJECTS.

IN DOWNTOWN L.A., ACTUALLY, THE WILLIAM MEAD HOUSING PROJECTS.

BARRIO DOGTOWN THEY CALL IT.

AND GREW UP IN LINCOLN HEIGHTS, WHERE HE STARTED A BAND.

HE TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO PLAY GUITAR BY WATCHING MARIACHIS PLAY.

HE PUT TOGETHER -- HE JUST HAS THIS AMAZING CREATIVE MIND FOR MELODY AND FOR COMPOSITION.

AND SO AS A TEENAGER, HE WAS ORGANIZING AND RUNNING THESE BANDS OUT OF EAST L.A., TEACHING THEM HOW TO ORIENT THEIR INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR SOUND.

SO HE WAS A PART OF THIS BAND CALLED THE ROMANCERS.

HE WAS THE LEAD.

AND OUT OF THE ROMANCERS SPRUNG MANY OF THE BANDS OUT OF EAST L.A., BUT HE HAD HIS FINGER ON SO MANY DIFFERENT HISTORIC MOMENTS IN CHICANO ROCK OUT OF EAST L.A.

IN THE SIXTIES, AND IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE HEARING THE INFLUENCE OF HIS MUSIC DOWN THE ROAD.

HE'S JUST BEEN -- HE'S AN ICON DOWN THERE.

>> Russell: AND HOW DID YOUR MOTHER AND HER HISTORY AS AN IMMIGRANT, COMING TO THE STATES FROM CHINA, HOW DID THAT SHAPE YOU WHEN YOU GET INTO LAW?

>> Uballez: SURE.

THERE'S A LOT TO CARRY WHEN YOUR FOLKS COME FROM OVERSEES OR OVER A BORDER AND YOU'RE THE FIRST AND ONLY ATTORNEY IN THE FAMILY.

SO IRONICALLY ENOUGH, THE CONCEPTION OF WHAT LAWYERS DO TO MY FOLKS WAS VERY MUCH LIKE, YOU GO BE A LAWYER, YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL, YOU GO MAKE MONEY.

RIGHT?

LIKE, YOU GO TO LAW SCHOOL AND YOU GET A HIGH-PAYING JOB.

AND THE THING THAT REALLY CONFUSED THEM WAS WHEN I CAME OUT OF LAW SCHOOL AND TOOK A JOB HERE FOR THE D.A.

'S OFFICE MAKING $33,000 A YEAR.

THEY WERE LIKE, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND, WHY IS THIS WHAT YOU DID?

YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO US.

AND SO HAVING PARENTS WHO DON'T COME FROM PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS, AND BEING THE FIRST TO, YOU KNOW, WEAR A SUIT REGULARLY AND HAVE A PROFESSIONAL TITLE, HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING LINE TO WALK FOR ME.

>> Russell: NOW, NEW MEXICO IS ONE OF THE POOREST STATES IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S GOT DEEP ENTRENCHED INEQUALITIES.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS U.S. ATTORNEY JOB?

>> Uballez: WELL, I'LL START WITH WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO NEW MEXICO, AND IT'S MY WIFE.

SHE IS PART OF A GENERATIONS DEEP, TWO GENERATIONS DEEP NEW MEXICAN FAMILIES HERE, AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE WE WERE 19.

WE MET IN COLLEGE.

SO EVER SINCE AROUND THEN, I'VE BEEN COMING OUT HERE WITH SOME REGULARITY, AND THEN WE MOVED HERE IN 2011.

HOW I ENDED UP AS U.S. ATTORNEY HAS BEEN A CRAZY PATH.

IT'S REALLY SORT OF A SERIES OF ACCIDENTS.

HAVING NO GUIDANCE IN MY FAMILY ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LAWYER MEANT THAT I WAS OFTEN FORGING MY OWN PATH, AND WHEN I ENDED UP IN LAW SCHOOL, I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT LAWYERS DID, OTHER THAN MAKE MONEY.

SO WHEN I GOT THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING IN FINDING THE PROFESSION THAT WOULD COINCIDE WITH MY MORALS, AND THAT'S WHERE I STRUGGLED THE MOST, WHICH WAS -- AND I THINK THIS IS AN AFFLICTION OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION BROADLY.

BEING A LAWYER MEANS YOU REPRESENT A SINGLE CLIENT, BE IT AN INDIVIDUAL OR A COMPANY, AND YOU REPRESENT THEM AT THE EXPENSE OF EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT?

THAT IS YOUR JOB.

YOU ARE THEIR VOICE IN COURTS AND THROUGH THE PAPERS.

AND I STRUGGLED THERE, RIGHT, BECAUSE I'M ORIENTED TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY.

I BECAME -- YOU KNOW, I'VE SUCCEEDED, I'VE STUDIED, I'VE GRADUATED, AND I'VE SOUGHT JOBS BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND SOMETHING IN THAT ROLE DIDN'T SQUARE WITH ME.

SO WHEN I ENDED UP IN LAW SCHOOL, I DID A LOT OF LEARNING ABOUT WHAT LAWYERS DO, ABOUT WHAT THE LEGAL PROFESSION IS, AND THEN ABOUT HOW I CAN FIT THE LEGAL PROFESSION INTO MY MORALS AND MY BELIEFS.

AND SO I ENDED UP AS A PROSECUTOR FIRST THROUGH THE MENTORSHIP OF A COUPLE OF FOLKS IN MY LAW SCHOOL WHO SHOWED ME THAT AS A PROSECUTOR AND BROADLY IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE, WHAT YOU DO IS SERVE THE PUBLIC.

YOU HAVE ONE CLIENT, BUT THAT CLIENT IS THE UNITED STATES, RIGHT?

IT IS ALL PEOPLE.

AND AS IT COMES TO PROSECUTORS, WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT I REPRESENT NOT JUST THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY BROADLY, BUT VERY SPECIFICALLY THE INTERESTS OF EVERYONE IN THE COURTROOM, RIGHT.

SO AS A PROSECUTOR, I WALK IN AND I REPRESENT THE JURY, I REPRESENT THE JUDGE, I REPRESENT THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY, AND I REPRESENT THE DEFENDANT.

AND SO FOR ME, THAT REALIZATION OF, AS A PROSECUTOR, I WEAR ALL HATS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

AS A PROSECUTOR, I AM A PUBLIC DEFENDER FIRST.

WHAT I DO WITH EVERY CASE, WHEN IT COMES IN, IS I REVIEW IT FOR LEGAL SUFFICIENCY, RIGHT?

IS THERE ELEMENTS OF A CRIME?

BUT BEYOND THAT, I REVIEW IT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS.

HAS THIS PERSON'S RIGHTS, THE DEFENDANT'S RIGHTS, BEEN VIOLATED?

AND I REVIEW IT, ON TOP OF ALL THAT, FOR JUSTICE, AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF BEING A PROSECUTOR, WHICH IS OUR DISCRETION TO CHARGE OR NOT CHARGE, TO USE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO SEEK CHARGES, TO SEEK PRISON, OR TO SEEK OTHER ALTERNATIVES.

AND SO MAKING ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS REALLY PUTS ME IN THE SEAT OF A PUBLIC DEFENDER FIRST, AND THEN I GO INTO COURT AND ADVOCATE ONCE WE'VE INDICTED SOMEONE OR CHARGED SOMEONE.

AND SO THE PATH TO FINDING PROSECUTION IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE WAS ONE OF EXPLORATION AND LEARNING, AND THAT'S FINDING MY PASSION.

AND ONE THING I FOUND OUT ABOUT MYSELF IS THAT I'M REALLY BAD AT THINGS I DON'T CARE ABOUT, AND CONVERSELY, I'M GOOD AT THINGS I DO.

SO WHAT I'VE ALWAYS DONE IS FOLLOW THE PASSION, WHICH IS TIED TO MY COMMUNITY AND TIED TO MY MORALITY, AND IT'S LED ME HERE TO THIS SEAT WHERE I FEEL LIKE I'M BEST EXPRESSING THOSE ABILITIES AND THOSE VALUES.

>> Russell: YOU COME INTO THE OFFICE AT A TIME WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AREN'T REPORTING THEIR CRIMES TO THE FBI.

NEW MEXICO IS NO DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT NOT ONLY ARE NOT REPORTING THEIR FBI CRIMES, BUT THEIR HATE CRIMES.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO COMPEL SOME OF OUR LOCAL AGENCIES TO GIVE US THAT DATA?

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DECIDE POLICY WITHOUT THE DATA.

>> Uballez: THAT IS CRITICAL.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.

ONE THING THAT I'VE PRIORITIZED IN THIS POSITION, AND THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, AND THAT HAS MOVED ME FORWARD IN THE PROFESSION TO THE POSITION WHERE I AM TODAY, IS THE BUILDING OF NETWORKS AND TEAMS AND COMMUNITIES.

SO WHEN I SAY THAT I DO IT ALL FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT INCLUDES THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, ALL OF US IN NEW MEXICO, ALL OF US IN THE NATION, ALL OF US IN THE WORLD, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES SMALLER COMMUNITIES AND NETWORKS THAT MAKE THIS THING WORK, RIGHT.

SO THAT INCLUDES THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IS WORK IN CLOSER PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE IN MY OFFICE SINCE I CAME INTO THIS POSITION WAS EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF CONTACT WE HAD, JUST PURE CONTACT, WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AROUND THE STATE WITH THE GOAL OF GETTING EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE AND MOVING FORWARD TO THE SAME GOALS.

TO THAT EFFECT, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS CREATE A LIAISON PROGRAM.

WE HAVE LIAISONS, AUSA's, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS IN MY OFFICE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE TO GO OUT, TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL D.A.s, LOCAL SHERIFFS, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, SO THAT WE CAN BEST FULFILL THEIR NEEDS, WE CAN BEST SUPPORT THEM AS PARTNERS, AND THEY CAN DO THE SAME.

AND SO I THINK FOR ME, WHILE THERE ARE ALWAYS ALTERNATIVES TO COMPEL PEOPLE TO DO THINGS, THE BETTER ALTERNATIVE IS ALWAYS TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

>> Russell: NOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HALTED DOJ REVIEWS OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CAME IN AND RE-STARTED REVIEWING CASES OF PATTERN AND PRACTICE INVESTIGATIONS.

AND STATS SHOW THAT NEW MEXICO HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF POLICE SHOOTINGS IN THE NATION.

MANY OF THEM ARE LATINO AND NATIVE AMERICAN VICTIMS.

WHAT CAN YOUR OFFICE DO TO ADDRESS THAT?

SINCE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR, WE WANT TO REVIEW POLICE, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE UP TO PAR, BUT IF AN INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED AND A POSSIBLE CONSENT DECREE, THEY WILL PURSUE IT AGGRESSIVELY.

WHAT CAN YOUR OFFICE DO IN THAT SPACE?

>> Uballez: SURE.

WE, AS YOU KNOW, PARTNERED AN A CONSENT AGREEMENT -- WELL, PARTNERED IN AN INVESTIGATION AND THEN IN SETTLING A CONSENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE FOR MANY YEARS NOW RELATING DIRECTLY TO THE PATTERN AND PRACTICE OF EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE.

WE ARE UNIQUE HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND THIS DEPARTMENT IN THAT WE PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN PARTNERING WITH DOJ, BOTH ON THE INVESTIGATIVE SIDE AND THROUGHOUT THE PENDENCY OF THE CONSENT AGREEMENT.

THIS IS PRETTY UNIQUE FOR US.

BECAUSE THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE STANCE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OF NEW MEXICO THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A VOICE, THOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN HOW THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE CARRIED OUT, AND HOW THE CONSENT AGREEMENT IS PURSUED AND IMPLEMENTED.

SO THAT HAS BEEN OUR CONSISTENT STANCE THROUGHOUT THE NINE YEARS OF OUR CONSENT AGREEMENT, WITH A CONSTANT ATTORNEY IN OUR OFFICE, AND OFTEN MULTIPLE, ENTERED IN ON THAT CASE TO MOVE IT FORWARD.

SO THAT IS OUR APPROACH, WHICH IS VERY NEW MEXICO UNIQUE, IN PURSUITS OF AND IN FURTHERANCE OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES HERE.

>> Russell: MURDERED AND MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN HAS BEEN SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT AND YOU'VE SPOKEN ABOUT HERE.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO BESIDES A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO REALLY ADDRESS IT?

WE HAVE A LOT OF TRIBES HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

IT'S STILL A CONCERN.

OUR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS ARE SHORT STAFFED WITH POLICE, AS IS EVERYBODY ELSE.

IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAN BE DONE IN THAT FRONT?

>> Uballez: YES, I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT WE'RE DOING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS NEED, A REAGENCY YOU ALWAYS HEAR IS MORE RESOURCES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE AND WE HAVE RECEIVED A LARGE NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL POSITIONS TO COME TO OUR OFFICE.

FIVE OF THOSE -- I THINK ACTUALLY SEVEN OF THOSE NEW POSITIONS ARE SLOTTED FOR INDIAN COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THE NEED IN THAT AREA.

ONE OF THOSE, AND I ANNOUNCED THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WHEN THE NON-VISIBLE ACT COMMISSION WAS MEETING HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS IS A MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PERSONS COORDINATOR, A REGIONAL COORDINATOR.

AND SO THIS IS AN ATTORNEY, AN AUSA WHOSE JOB IS REALLY UNIQUE, AND THERE ARE TEN OF THESE AROUND THE NATION.

THAT JOB IS TO COORDINATE EFFORTS ACROSS ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, ACROSS STATES AND DISTRICTS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CATCHING EVERY NAME.

WE ARE CATCHING EVERY MISSING RELATIVE.

AND THEN WE ARE INVESTIGATING AND PURSUING EACH ONE OF THOSE NAMES AND PEOPLE ON THAT DATABASE SO THAT WE CAN FIND RESOLUTION AND ANSWERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

AND SO THE NUMBER ONE THING HERE IS COORDINATION AND THE SHARING OF INFORMATION.

HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WE'RE LUCKY BECAUSE THE FBI, IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, PUT TOGETHER A DATABASE.

IT'S THE FIRST IN THE NATION.

IT COVERS ALL OF NEW MEXICO AS WELL AS THE NAVAJO NATION, AND IT'S A DATABASE OF MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

WITH THIS PUBLIC DATABASE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS LEAN ON THE RESOURCES OF MANY, MANY AGENCIES, OFTEN WHOSE NETWORKS AND PLATFORMS AND COMPUTERS DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER.

AND BY MAKING A PUBLIC FACING INTERNET WEBSITE, PEOPLE HAVE CALLED IN TIPS, PEOPLE HAVE CALLED IN INFORMATION, AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REMOVE A LARGE NUMBER OF NAMES, AND OF COURSE UPDATE AND REPLACE OVER THE PAST YEAR.

AND SO IT REALLY IS COORDINATING THE EFFORTS, MAKING SURE EVERYONE IS SHARING INFORMATION, AND THEN, OF COURSE, MAKING SURE THAT SOMEBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NAMES ON THE LIST SO THAT NOBODY IS FORGOTTEN.

>> Uballez: EVERY BULLET THAT'S FIRED, AS WE KNOW TRAGICALLY FROM RECENT EVENTS, CASCADES IN IMPACT.

EVERY PIECE OF PLASTIC WASTE WE THROW AWAY, EVERY FAKE FENTANYL PILL DISTRIBUTED, EACH OF THESE HAS FAR REACHING IMPACTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO FOR ME, CHOOSING THIS PROFESSION AS A LAWYER WAS ME REJECTING THIS IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HOLD SOMEBODY TO ACCOUNT, WE NEED TO POINT A FINGER AT SOMEBODY, AND INSTEAD EMBRACING THIS IDEA OF ONE COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY, A MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

>> Lou: PART TWO OF RUSSELL'S INTERVIEW WITH U.S. ATTORNEY UBALLEZ IS COMING UP IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO ZERO IN ON NEW ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND OTHER VIOLATIONS AT A LONG-TROUBLED PRISON IN ESTANCIA, THE PRIVATELY OWNED TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE.

AS YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFF PROCTOR AND ATTORNEY SOPHIA GENOVESE, ADVOCATES HAVE GATHERED 186 PAGES WORTH OF FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNTS AND OTHER RECORDS DOCUMENTING A LITANY OF ALLEGED VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING RUSHED INTERVIEWS THEY SAY JEOPARDIZE MIGRANTS' SAFETY WHILE UNJUSTLY DAMAGING THEIR OPPORTUNITY FOR ASYLUM.

SOPHIA'S ORGANIZATION, THE NEW MEXICO IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER, AND SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SHUT THE PRISON DOWN.

>> Jeff: SOPHIA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, TODAY.

>> Genovese: I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: WE WILL GET TO YOUR COMPLAINT THAT WE JUST HEARD LOU TALKING ABOUT IN A MOMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY SORT OF PLACING THE TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY IN THE LARGER MOSAIC OF SO-CALLED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN THE U.S. WHO IS LOCKED UP THERE, AND WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING INSIDE THOSE WALLS?

>> Genovese: SURE.

SO TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY REOPENED IN 2019.

THE FACILITY ITSELF IS OWNED BY CORECIVIC, A PRIVATE PRISON COMPANY, AND THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT POPULATIONS DETAINED THERE.

ICE DETAINEES ARE HELD PURSUANT TO ICE CONTRACTS, AS WELL AS U.S.

MARSHALS CUSTODY, PEOPLE IN PRETRIAL CRIMINAL CUSTODY, AS WELL AS COUNTY CUSTODY, USUALLY FROM THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.

AND LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE IMMIGRANT DETAINEES WHO ARE THERE, THE CONTRACTING RELATIONSHIP IS REALLY INTERESTING.

SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS WITH TORRANCE COUNTY THROUGH AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL SERVICES AGREEMENT, AN IGSA, AND THEY USE THESE IGSAs TO GET AROUND ORDINARY PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS, COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS THAT'S REQUIRED WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CONTRACTING WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES.

SO THEY USE THESE IGSAs TO GET AROUND THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND USING THE COUNTIES AS A SHIELD IN THE CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP.

THE COUNTY THEN GOES AROUND AND CONTRACTS WITH CORECIVIC TO DETAIN IMMIGRANTS, AND THESE IMMIGRANTS ARE HELD IN CIVIL IMMIGRATION CUSTODY.

IT IS NOT CRIMINAL CUSTODY.

AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN TORRANCE RIGHT NOW ARE PEOPLE HELD IN ICE DETENTION.

THERE'S ANYWHERE BETWEEN 100 TO 400 PEOPLE, WITH A CAPACITY UP TO 500 PEOPLE IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION.

AND THERE'S FAR FEWER PEOPLE HELD IN MARSHALS CUSTODY RIGHT NOW, THERE.

>> Jeff: LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMPLAINT THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND OTHERS FILED LAST WEEK.

IT'S A 186 PAGE DOCUMENT.

IT INCLUDES SOME INCREDIBLY HARROWING ACCOUNTS, FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS FROM FOLKS WHO ARE BEING HELD THERE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THEMES THAT EMERGE WHEN YOU READ THE COMPLAINT AND HOW, AS YOU ALLEGED, THOSE AMOUNT TO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES?

>> Genovese: WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ADVOCATES IN THIS COMPLAINT WAS DETAILING THE ONGOING ISSUES AT THIS FACILITY SINCE IT'S REOPENED, NONSTOP ISSUES.

AND SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COMPLAIN, WE INCLUDE A HISTORY OF ALL OF THESE ABUSES AND HOW THEY JUST CONTINUE TO COMPOUND AND COMPOUND OVER TIME.

WE, OF COURSE, HAD THE DEATH OF KESLEY VIAL LAST YEAR, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT ADVOCATES HAD ESCALATED, THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL HAD DISCUSSED IN THEIR REPORT, CALLING FOR CLOSURE OF THE FACILITY TWICE LAST YEAR.

WE DETAILED ALL OF THAT.

AND IT CULMINATED TO A SITUATION WE BEGAN TO SEE IN JANUARY WHEN ASYLUM SEEKERS WERE BEING TRANSFERRED IN BY THE HUNDREDS AFTER THE POPULATION HAD DWINDLED TO JUST POUR PEOPLE ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

AND BEGINNING IN JANUARY, WE SAW HOW ICE, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY AND MORE BROADLY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, HAD CHANGED THE WAY THE FACILITY OPERATED TO BE A CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEW FACTORY, AN EXPEDITED REMOVAL FACTORY WHERE ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE QUICKLY PROCESSED IN AND PROCESSED OUT OF THE FACILITY WITHOUT ACCESS TO LEGAL ORIENTATION, WITHOUT DUE PROCESS RIGHTS, WITHOUT FAIR REVIEW OF THESE DETERMINATIONS, ON TOP OF THE HORRIBLE CONDITIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPOSING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.

IN ADDITION TO POOR PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WHERE THERE WAS RECENTLY A SLIP AND FALL BECAUSE OF A LEAKY PIPE, TO MISTREATMENT BY ICE AND CORECIVIC OFFICIALS.

SO THIS COMPLAINT DOCUMENTS EVERYTHING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT WE'VE SEEN CULMINATING NOW TO THIS MASSIVE DUE PROCESS VIOLATION.

>> Jeff: WHAT, FOR VIEWERS AT HOME, IS A CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEW?

AND WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THAT FOR THE ASYLUM SEEKER?

>> Genovese: SO UNDER THE 1996 LAWS THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON PASSED, WE ENACTED SOMETHING KNOWN AS EXPEDITED REMOVAL.

ANYONE WHO IS CROSSING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN BORDER IS PLACED IN EXPEDITED REMOVAL, AND THEY CAN BE SWIFTLY DEPORTED BACK TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY, UNLESS THEY STATE A FEAR OF RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

THEY CLAIM ASYLUM.

IF THAT HAPPENS, THEY ARE PLACED THROUGH A CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEW SCREENING WHERE THEY HAVE TO SHOW A REASONABLE POSSIBILITY OR A SIGNIFICANT POSSIBILITY OF HARM IF THEY WERE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

SO THIS IS AN INITIAL PRELIMINARY SCREENING THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A VERY HIGH STANDARD, JUST SO YOU CAN ACCESS THE ASYLUM SYSTEM.

IF YOU FAIL THIS CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEW, THEN YOU ARE SWIFTLY DEPORTED WITH VERY LITTLE REVIEW BY AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE OR THE AGENCY ITSELF TO CORRECT ANY ERRONEOUS DECISIONS.

>> Jeff: GOTCHA.

SO I DON'T WANT TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE TOO MUCH HERE, BUT OFTEN FROM FOLKS WHO WOULD LIKE TO RESTRICT IMMIGRATION IN THE U.S., WE HEAR THESE SORT OF STORIES ABOUT FOLKS COMING NORTH, TAKING OUR JOBS BECAUSE THE U.S. IS SO STAR SPANGLED AWESOME AND THERE'S ALL OF THIS OPPORTUNITY HERE.

IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE BASED ON YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH CLIENTS IN THE PAST, OFTEN FOLKS ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM SOMETHING AND NOT TOWARDS SOMETHING.

WHAT'S THAT EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?

>> Genovese: ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK GLOBALLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE INCREASINGLY FLEE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, TOTALITARIAN REGIMES.

THEY'RE SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE THEY MAY BE STARVING IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICANS, PEOPLE FROM THE CARIBBEAN, WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE FLEE GANG VIOLENCE THAT'S SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENTS.

PEOPLE ARE FLEEING TOTALITARIAN REGIMES.

VENEZUELANS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN POLITICAL PROTESTS ARE HAVING TO LEAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING TARGETED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THEIR HOMES, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES ARE COMING TO THEIR HOMES LOOKING FOR THEM AND TORTURING THEM.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY MEETING WITH PEOPLE FROM COLUMBIA WHO ARE BEING TORTURED BY GUERILLA GROUPS AND PROPPED UP BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO DO SO.

WE'RE SEEING INCREASINGLY LGBTQI SURVIVERS OF HORRIFIC TORTURE ACROSS THE BOARD BY GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND GUERILLA GROUPS.

SO PEOPLE ARE FLEEING INCREASINGLY SOMETHING.

THEY'RE FLEEING A HARM.

AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SAFETY IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS WHY THEY MAKE THE DECISION TO COME HERE.

AND TO BE CLEAR, THE JOURNEY ALL THE WAY UP TO THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE DARIÉN GAP, UP AND THROUGH MEXICO, IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, AND PEOPLE KNOW THIS.

THEY ARE TAKING THIS RISK BECAUSE IT'S LESS SAFE IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.

>> Jeff: SPEAKING OF HARM, I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER A TIME AS A JOURNALIST IN THIS STATE WHEN I WASN'T WRITING ABOUT THE TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY.

YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS THERE FOR YEARS.

IT DOES SEEM THAT THINGS REALLY CHANGED WHEN IT REOPENED IN 2019 AND THEY ENTERED INTO THE ARRANGEMENT THAT YOU DESCRIBED BETWEEN ICE AND TORRANCE COUNTY.

DO YOU SEE SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS WITH AN ARRANGEMENT LIKE THAT, AND WHAT WOULD THOSE BE?

>> Genovese: I THINK NATIONWIDE, WE SEE ICE DETENTION CENTERS IN RURAL AREAS, AND THESE JOBS THAT ARE OFFERED ARE NOT DESIRABLE.

THEY ARE PRONE TO CHRONIC UNDERSTAFFING.

RIGHT NOW AT TORRANCE COUNTY, THEY HAVE ABOUT 60% STAFFING LEVELS OF JUST LOCAL FOLKS WHO WANT TO WORK THERE, WHICH IS WAY UNDERNEATH WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE FOR THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT THEY DETAIN, BUT ALSO THEMSELVES.

AND WE'RE SEEING CORECIVIC HAVING TO FLY STAFF IN FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY JUST TO MEET ADEQUATE STAFFING LEVELS AT ABOUT 70%.

SO THEY'RE STILL UNDERSTAFFED.

IT'S REALLY PRECARIOUS, BECAUSE THESE UNDERSTAFFING ISSUES LEAD TO STAFF BEING TIRED, STAFF MISTREATING THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE DETAINING, PERHAPS BECAUSE THEY'RE TIRED, PERHAPS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT TRAINED ADEQUATELY ENOUGH, PERHAPS BECAUSE THERE'S AN ATTITUDE THAT WE NEED TO PRESERVE THIS CONTRACT, AND SO WE'RE INHERENTLY GOING TO BE DISRESPECTFUL TO THE IMMIGRANTS, BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE A JOB TO DETAIN AND DEPORT.

>> Jeff: SO I WANT TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ARGUMENT THAT WE HEAR FROM LOCAL FOLKS IN TORRANCE COUNTY.

YOU MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT HAS RECOMMENDED TWICE THAT THIS FACILITY BE SHUT DOWN.

I KNOW YOUR GROUP BELIEVES THE SAME, AS DO A LOT OF OTHER ADVOCACY GROUPS.

BUT WHAT WE HEAR FROM TORRANCE COUNTY IS THAT THIS WOULD BE A BLOW TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, THAT THEY WOULD LOSE JOBS.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> Genovese: ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE TAKE THE ISSUE OF JOB LOSS VERY SERIOUSLY AS A COALITION.

WE HAVE FRIENDS, WE HAVE FAMILY SPACED IN THE COUNTY, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETIMES A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT FROM THE PRISON BEING THERE.

AND WE ALWAYS POINT TO THE FACT THAT CORECIVIC HAS LEFT BEFORE.

THEY LEFT IN 2017 WHEN THE PRISON WAS NO LONGER PROFITABLE.

SO THE COMPANY CAN ALWAYS DO THAT.

IT'S A RISKY INDUSTRY TO BE INVOLVED IN.

BUT MOREOVER, HOW CAN WE FIND OTHER WAYS TO BE SUPPORTIVE TO THE COMMUNITIES?

SOME OF MY COLLEAGUE PARTNERS, MY COALITION PARTNERS, ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES IN TORRANCE, ALSO IN OTERO, TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT THEIR DREAMS ARE, WHAT DO THEY NEED, AND A LOT OF THEM CITE TO THE NEED TO HAVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, MORE PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AFTER SCHOOL, MORE PROGRAMMING FOR SENIORS, HANDLING THE WATER SITUATION.

WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS INSTEAD OF INVESTING IN A PRIVATE PRISON WHERE A PRIVATE PRISON COMPANY POCKETS THAT MONEY.

>> Jeff: SO TORRANCE OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE ONLY PRIVATELY OWNED ICE DETENTION FACILITY IN NEW MEXICO.

THERE WAS A BILL THAT GAINED SOME REAL TRACTION IN THE LEGISLATURE EARLIER THIS YEAR DURING THE SESSION THAT VERY NEARLY PASSED THE SENATE THAT WOULD HAVE ENDED THOSE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS.

WHAT WAS THE DEBATE LIKE OVER THAT BILL, AND WHAT ULTIMATELY WAS ITS FATE?

>> Genovese: THE DEBATE OVER THE BILL ON THE SENATE FLOOR WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING.

WE SAW A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING.

THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT MILITARY AGED MEN ARE COMING ACROSS OUR BORDER AND INSINUATING THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF REVOLUTION, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEHUMANIZING OF WHAT THE ASYLUM SEEKER EXPERIENCE IS.

BECAUSE IN NEW MEXICO, 95% OF THE PEOPLE DETAINED IN ICE CUSTODY ARE RECENTLY ARRIVED ASYLUM SEEKERS.

THEY ARE FLEEING DANGER.

AND SO WE SAW FEAR MONGERING.

WE ALSO SAW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND THE FACTS ABOUT WHAT THE TRUE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS WAS IGNORED.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, SEVERAL SENATORS WHO WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE BILL AND WERE GOING TO VOTE YES WERE CALLED OFF THE SENATE FLOOR AND EXCUSED, AND WE WOULD HAVE PASSED HAD THOSE THREE SENATORS BEEN THERE.

SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NARROW VICTORY, BUT A VICTORY NONETHELESS.

>> Jeff: IT LOST 18-20 ON THE SENATE FLOOR; IS THAT RIGHT?

>> Genovese: THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Jeff: THAT WAS A DISAPPOINTING DEBATE, AS YOU JUST CHARACTERIZED IT.

CONVERSELY, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD AN EVENT LAST WEEK TO SORT OF CONTINUE THE CALL FOR ENDING THESE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS IN NEW MEXICO.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> Genovese: WE HELD A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE ON AUGUST 24th, AND THIS MARKED THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF KESLEY VIAL.

AND SO WE CONTINUED TO HONOR HIS LIFE, TO SHOW SOLIDARITY TO HIS FAMILY WHO ARE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT WE STILL CARE, THAT WE STILL WANT THESE PRISONS TO BE CLOSED, THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE ASYLUM SEEKERS DETAINED, AND ALSO CONTINUE THE CALL FOR ENDING THESE ICE CONTRACTS IN NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE THESE SAME CONDITIONS CONTINUE.

SINCE KESLEY DIED, THERE WERE SEVERAL MORE SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, INCLUDING OF MY CLIENT AT CIBOLA, AND HAD OTHER ASYLUM SEEKERS NOT STEPPED IN, HE WOULD BE DEAD, BECAUSE IT TOOK TEN MINUTES FOR CORECIVIC OFFICIALS TO RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY.

THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE NEW MEXICO STATE LEGISLATURE DECIDES TO STEP IN AND SAY, WE WILL NO LONGER BE COMPLICIT IN THESE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.

AND THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE WAS CALLING ON OUR DECISION MAKERS TO REALLY BEGIN TO TAKE ACTION, TO TAKE THE TESTIMONIES OF PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE BEEN UPLIFTING FOR SEVERAL YEARS SERIOUSLY.

>> Jeff: AND TO THAT END, I UNDERSTAND THAN YOU RECENTLY PRESENTED TO THE INTERIM COURTS CORRECTIONS AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS EFFORT IS VERY MUCH ALIVE AND WELL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PROSPECTS FOR THIS BILL COMING BACK DURING NEXT YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND EVENTUALLY BECOMING LAW IN THE STATE?

>> Genovese: WE KNOW WE HAVE BARRIERS, BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES ARE A CONCERN.

WE POINT TO OUR SURPLUS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THESE RURAL ECONOMIES DIVERSIFY THEIR ABILITY FOR DIFFERENT JOBS AND INDUSTRIES AS A SOLUTION TO SOME OF THESE ECONOMIC CONCERNS.

WE ARE ALSO CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE THE VOTES ON THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE SIDE TO GET THIS THROUGH, EVEN IN A SHORT SESSION, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE LONG SESSION IN 2025.

>> Jeff: SOPHIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.

>> Genovese: THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.

>> Lou: I WANT TO THANK SOPHIA GENOVESE FOR THAT INTERVIEW WITH JEFF.

NOW, WE CONTACTED THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR A COMMENT ON THE ADVOCATES' COMPLAINT.

A SPOKESPERSON DECLINED, CITING DEPARTMENT POLICY.

CORECIVIC, THE PRIVATE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY, SENT US A LENGTHY STATEMENT.

HERE'S THE RELEVANT PORTION: "WE CONTINUE TO HEAR CLAIMS AND ALLEGATIONS ABOUT OUR TORRANCE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY THAT ARE FALSE AND MISLEADING.

THE REALITY IS THAT WE PROVIDE A SAFE, HUMANE AND APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE ENTRUSTED TO US AT THESE FACILITIES AND ARE CONSTANTLY STRIVING TO DELIVER AN EVEN BETTER STANDARD OF CARE."

>> Antonia: WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ELECTION COVERAGE, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE TRIBAL CANDIDATES AND THE TRIBAL LEADERS, BUT NATIONAL ELECTIONS, STATE ELECTIONS, BECAUSE OF COURSE, INDIAN COUNTRY IS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

OF COURSE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A TRUST RESPONSIBILITY TO TRIBES.

>> Gwyneth: IT'S A BIG CONSTITUENCY.

>> Antonia: YEAH.

AND SO HERE IN NEW MEXICO WE HAVE 23 TRIBES, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON HERE.

>> Lou: THAT CONVERSATION BETWEEN OUR THREE CORRESPONDENTS IS COMING UP IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES.

THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDED THE ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT MORE THAN $2 MILLION FOR THE CITY'S VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM.

THE SECOND PART OF RUSSELL'S INTERVIEW WITH THE U.S. ATTORNEY BEGINS THERE.

>> Russell: THIS APRIL AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WHEN YOU ANNOUNCED A $2 MILLION GRANT FROM THE DOJ TO FIGHT VIOLENT CRIME IN ALBUQUERQUE, YOU ALSO MADE A PASSIONATE PLEA TO THE YOUTH TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE.

IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL PLEA AND YOU SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE YOUTH OF THE CITY.

WHAT SPARKED YOU TO ASK THE YOUTH OF THIS NATION, DO YOUR PART AND HELP CURTAIL GUN VIOLENCE?

>> Uballez: COMMUNITY.

IT'S MY FIRM BELIEF THAT WE ARE HERE TOGETHER.

I THINK THERE'S AN EASY TENDENCY, AND THIS GOES BACK TO MY FIRST YEARS IN LAW SCHOOL, THERE'S AN EASY TENDENCY TO LOOK AT THE FORMAT OF OUR GOVERNMENTS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF HOLDING SOMEONE TO ACCOUNT.

LIKE, IT IS MY JOB AS A LAWYER TO MAKE SURE THAT PERSON IS DOING THEIR JOB.

PART OF THE COGNITIVE DISSONANCE FOR ME IN STEPPING INTO THE LEGAL PROFESSION WAS REALIZING THAT I BELIEVE WE ALL SERVE A ROLE, AND BEYOND THAT, WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, RIGHT.

NONE OF US ACTS IN A VACUUM.

EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AT A LOCAL LEVEL, BETWEEN ME AND YOU, EVERY BULLET THAT'S FIRED, AS WE KNOW TRAGICALLY FROM RECENT EVENTS, CASCADES IN IMPACT.

EVERY PIECE OF PLASTIC WASTE WE THROW AWAY, EVERY FAKE FENTANYL PILL DISTRIBUTED, EACH OF THESE HAS FAR REACHING IMPACTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO FOR ME, CHOOSING THIS PROFESSION AS A LAWYER WAS ME REJECTING THIS IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HOLD SOMEBODY TO ACCOUNT, WE NEED TO POINT A FINGER AT SOMEBODY, AND INSTEAD EMBRACING THIS IDEA OF ONE COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY, A MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY, RIGHT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TO END UP HERE.

ONE OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS OF MY LEGAL CAREER THAT I MADE VERY EARLY ON WAS BETWEEN WHAT TO DO THE SUMMER AFTER MY 1-L YEAR.

THAT SUMMER, I WAS OFFERED A JOB AT A LARGE LAW FIRM THAT WAS OFFERING ME, I THINK, $30,000 FOR ABOUT TEN WEEKS OF MY WORK.

INSTEAD, I CHOSE TO COME AND WORK HERE AT THE NEW MEXICO ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

I MADE THAT DECISION FOR THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE I BELIEVED THAT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY, TO COME AND SERVE AND DO WHAT I CAN TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFER.

AND SO TO YOUR QUESTION, WHICH IS ABOUT THE YOUNG MEN WHO ARE DRIVING VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, TOO.

THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED UNCOUNTED TRAUMAS THEMSELVES, AND THEIR PARENTS HAVE, MAYBE THEIR GRANDPARENTS HAVE.

AND THEY ARE PEOPLE, TOO, WHO EVEN IF WE PROSECUTE THEM, WE SEND THEM TO PRISON, IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES THEY'RE COMING BACK OUT AT SOME POINT TO REJOIN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WHETHER IT'S NOW OR IN TEN YEARS OR FIVE YEARS OR FOUR, THEY ARE ALWAYS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WHEN I TALK DIRECTLY TO THOSE YOUNG MEN, I HOPE TO GIVE THEM THAT MESSAGE, AND IT'S A DUAL PROMISE.

THIS IS WHAT I'M SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE OF ENDORSING AND LEANING INTO, WHICH IS THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM HERE, WHICH IDENTIFIES THESE YOUNG MEN THAT ARE MOST AT RISK FOR SHOOTING OR BEING SHOT.

AND WE SAY BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME POPULATION OF PEOPLE, RIGHT.

THEY'RE THE SHOOTERS AND THEY'RE THE VICTIMS.

YOU GO AND TALK TO THEM, AND I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CHIEF, AND WE'VE ROAD IN CARAVAN HOUSE TO HOUSE, SPEAKING WITH FOLK WHO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS MOST AT RISK, THOSE WHO ARE DRIVING VIOLENCE, AND WE TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, HERE ARE THE TWO PROMISES, RIGHT.

WE WANT YOU TO BE SAFE, ALIVE, AND FREE, BUT THE SHOOTING HAS TO STOP.

SO WE WILL HELP YOU IF YOU LET US.

THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE IS HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH NEW FUNDING.

WHATEVER SOCIAL SERVICES -- THEY CALL IT THE BIG LITTLE THINGS, RIGHT.

DIAPERS, BUS PASSES, EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS.

WE WILL HELP YOU IF YOU LET US, RIGHT, AND WE WILL STOP YOU IF YOU MAKE US.

AND WE TELL THEM THIS ON THE FRONT END.

WE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WANT YOU TO BE SAFE, ALIVE AND FREE.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO LOCK YOU UP.

BUT THOSE ARE THE DUAL PROMISES THAT WE GIVE TO THE YOUTH OF THIS CITY, IS THAT THERE IS A WAY OUT, THAT WE BELIEVE IN YOU, AND THAT FUNDAMENTALLY I BELIEVE IN FORGIVENESS AND REDEMPTION.

BUT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, WE DO IT TOGETHER.

WE DO IT AS A COMMUNITY, AND WE CAN'T DO IT JUST BY ME SAYING, I'M GOING TO LOCK YOU UP.

WE CAN'T DO IT JUST BY SAYING, HERE'S FREE SERVICES.

WE CAN'T DO IT BY THREATENING OR BY USING A CARROT ON THEIR OWN.

THE ONLY WAY -- AND THIS IS BASED IN SCIENCE, RIGHT.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUDIES ON THIS PROGRAM THAT GO BACK TO THE NINETIES IN BOSTON, WHERE IT WAS FIRST CREATED.

IT WAS A GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION.

THE MESSAGES COME TOGETHER.

THE PROMISES COME TOGETHER.

IT'S ONLY BY MARRYING THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE TO THE SOCIAL SERVICES SIDE ON THE FRONT END AND GIVING PEOPLE THE CHOICE THAT PEOPLE WILL MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

>> Russell: ON THIS NOTE, SOMETIMES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, ESPECIALLY LIKE BERNALILLO COUNTY AND SANTA FE COUNTY, WILL LEAN ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SAY, CAN YOU HELP US OUT, BECAUSE YOU GUYS DO YOUR JOB.

WE MAY HAVE HOLES IN OUR SYSTEM IN FIGHTING CRIME.

BUT ON THAT NOTE, SOMEONE COULD COMMIT A CRIME IN A LOCAL JURISDICTION AND GET NINE MONTHS, BUT IF THEY DO IT IN THE FEDERAL JURISDICTION ON THE RESERVATION, HE GETS SEVEN YEARS.

THERE'S A DISPARITY THERE.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE WEDGED IN THAT DISPARITY OF SENTENCING BETWEEN A LOCAL AND A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> Uballez: THERE'S A GIANT DISPARITY, AND I THINK YOU'VE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE REALLY INTERESTING ISSUES THERE IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY LIE.

I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTE WITH ANY OF THE LOCAL D.A.s HERE OVER A CASE.

IT IS BECAUSE WHENEVER -- IN FACT, OVER THIS WEEKEND, EVEN, I RECEIVED MULTIPLE EMAILS, HEY, WILL YOU HELP US WITH THIS CASE?

AND THAT COMES FROM THE PERCEPTION THAT I BELIEVE IS BACKED UP BY THE DATA THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE HARD CASES, THOSE TRULY TERRIBLE CASES, WE GET BETTER OUTCOMES AGAINST THOSE FOLK WHO NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME AWAY FROM COMMUNITY.

AND SO IN TERMS OF EQUALIZING THE DISPARITIES, AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT ON THOSE, THE DISPARITIES BETWEEN A FEDERAL PROSECUTION AND STATE, OR FEDERAL PROSECUTION AND TRIBAL, THE ISSUE IS COMPLEX, RIGHT, BECAUSE WE OPERATE UNDER DIFFERENT SETS OF LAWS WITH DIFFERENT REASONS BEHIND THOSE LAWS, AND DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS INVESTING IN EACH.

I DIDN'T WRITE THE CODE BOOK.

IT'S HUGE.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THINGS THAT ARE ILLEGAL FEDERALLY.

NOR DID I WRITE THE NEW MEXICO STATE CODE BOOK, OR ANY TRIBAL LAW CODE BOOK.

BUT THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT BEING A PROSECUTOR IS THIS: I DON'T GET TO SAY WHAT IS ILLEGAL.

I DON'T GET TO SAY WHETHER SOMEONE'S CONDUCT SHOULD BE A CRIME IF IT'S NOT DEFINED IN THE CODE BOOK.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT BEING A PROSECUTORS IS OUR DISCRETION, AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE OUR BIGGEST IMPACT ON SOCIETY.

WE HAVE TO ALWAYS, AS PROSECUTORS, ORIENT OUR DISCRETION TOWARDS JUSTICE, TOWARDS COMMUNITY SAFETY.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WHEN WE LOOK AT A CHARGE, WE LOOK AT A CASE, AS I WAS SAYING BEFORE.

WE DON'T JUST LOOK AT WHETHER A LAW WAS VIOLATED, WE LOOK AT WHETHER THIS IS A JUST THING TO DO, AND THEN, WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS WE ARE SEEKING TO THE PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE, WHICH IS COMMUNITY SAFETY.

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE COMMUNITY SAFETY USING THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.

FOR THAT REASON, WE'VE INVESTED HEAVILY OVER THE PAST YEAR IN A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT RECOGNIZE THIS INTERDEPENDENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'VE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE'VE SENT TO PRETRIAL DIVERSION WITHIN THE DISTRICT, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS FOLKS WHO COULD BE CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL CRIME, BUT ARE NOT.

INSTEAD, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY AGREE TO BE ON SUPERVISION, THEY AGREE TO ACCEPT THE SUPPORT, THE HELP THAT WE OFFER.

AND IF THEY DO THAT SUCCESSFULLY, THEY WALK AWAY WITHOUT A CONVICTION.

THEY WALK AWAY TO BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN WITHOUT ANY ENCUMBRANCES COMING WITH A FEDERAL CONVICTION.

>> Russell: HAS PROSECUTION IN THE MAJOR CRIMES ACT LED TO JUSTICE?

>> Uballez: YES AND NO.

SO AS I WAS SAYING ABOUT DISCRETION, THE CODE BOOK IS TOO BIG.

ALL FEDERAL CRIMES, ALL STATE CRIMES, ARE NOT ENFORCED.

AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE DO, WE GET TO CHOOSE, WE SHOULD CHOOSE, WHEN TO USE THE TOOLS IN THE MAJOR CRIMES ACT, OR WHEN NOT TO USE THOSE TOOLS.

WHEN THEY ARE EFFECTIVE AT SECURING PUBLIC SAFETY, WHEN SOMEBODY NEEDS A TIME-OUT, AS I CALLED IT BEFORE, FROM THE COMMUNITY TO COOL DOWN, OR WHEN A PERSON NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED, WHEN A PERSON NEEDS TO ENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, PRETRIAL DIVERSION, WHEN A PERSON NEEDS, FOR EXAMPLE, COMING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO BE SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR REENTRY COURT, WHICH I'M ACTUALLY REALLY PROUD TO SAY WE'RE SETTING UP THIS DISTRICT'S FIRST FEDERAL REENTRY COURT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AS THEY RETURN.

AND SO WE USE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY SAFETY ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACED WITH.

BUT PROSECUTION ALONE, INCARCERATION ALONE, ISN'T ENOUGH TO SECURE COMMUNITY SAFETY, AND SO THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED THE LARGE NUMBER OF PROSECUTORS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES I'M BRINGING TO INDIAN COUNTRY HERE IN THE DISTRICT.

THE GOAL IS NOT JUST TO INCREASE PROSECUTIONS, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

EVERY ONE OF MY PROSECUTORS IN THAT SECTION RIGHT NOW SERVES AS A TRIBAL LIAISON.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS, EACH OF THEM HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO A SPECIFIC TRIBE OR PUEBLO WHERE THEY INTERACT DIRECTLY AND INTERFACE DIRECTLY IN A GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT MANNER BOTH WITH THEIR GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENTS, SO WE CAN SEEK OTHER OPTIONS TO PURSUE COMMUNITY SAFETY.

THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM TRAINING, EDUCATION, INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION WORK.

AND ONLY BY, AS I SAID, WITH THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION WORK MARRYING THESE MULTIPLE APPROACHES TOGETHER, WHICH WE CAN DO AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, CAN WE BRING SAFETY TO THESE COMMUNITIES.

>> Russell: LAST QUESTION.

I HEAR YOU TALKING AND IT SEEMS VERY CLEAR WHERE YOUR HEART IS.

AND I KNOW FROM COVERING LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO ME THE PROSECUTOR WAS ALWAYS THE HARD-NOSED, SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE FIGURE.

CAN A PROGRESSIVE BE AN EFFECTIVE PROSECUTOR?

>> Uballez: YES.

I DON'T CALL MYSELF A PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR, I CALL MYSELF A PROSECUTOR, BECAUSE WHEN A PROSECUTOR IS DOING HIS JOB RIGHT, HE IS ORIENTED TOWARD COMMUNITY SAFETY FIRST.

SO BY USING THESE TOOLS AND THINKING AS A HUMAN BEING WHO IS A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND NOT AS A LAWYER WHO FITS WORDS INTO STATUTES AND ARGUES IN COURT, I AM FULFILLING MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PURSUE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND TO PURSUE JUSTICE AS A PROSECUTOR.

AND SO I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT IT IS OUR ROLE, AS I WAS DISCUSSING WITH PROSECTORIAL DISCRETION, TO ALWAYS WIELD THAT POWER CAREFULLY AND WITH A MIND TOWARDS THE END GOAL.

WE CAN'T PROSECUTE EVERY CRIME, NOR SHOULD WE.

PROSECTORIAL DISCRETION IS A VALVE, AND IT TURNS ONLY ONE DIRECTION.

IT TURNS TOWARDS MERCY.

IT TURNS AGAINST CHARGING PEOPLE.

OUR DISCRETION ALLOWS US TO GIVE PEOPLE MERCY.

AND IN THAT CONTEXT, I THINK EVERY PROSECUTOR'S JOB IS TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY IN A VERY PRACTICAL, COMMON SENSE, EMPIRICAL WAY, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BRING SAFETY TO THIS COMMUNITY WITH THE TOOLS THAT I HAVE.

AND IF I'M NOT DOING THAT, WHAT AM I DOING?

>> Russell: ALEX, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON NEW MEXICO In FOCUS.

>> Uballez: MY PLEASURE.

IT'S BEEN MY HONOR.

>> Lou: THANK YOU TO U.S. ATTORNEY ALEXANDER UBALLEZ FOR MAKING TIME TO COME IN AND TALK WITH US.

YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE RUSSELL AND THE REST OF OUR TEAM OF CORRESPONDENTS A BIT MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS AS WE TRANSITION THROUGH LONGTIME HOST GENE GRANT'S DEPARTURE.

THAT'S WHY WE INVITED OUR THREE LEAD CORRESPONDENTS TO THE STUDIO TOGETHER TO REINTRODUCE THEM TO YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, AND TO LET THEM EXPLAIN IN THEIR OWN WORDS THE TYPES OF STORIES THEY'RE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING EACH WEEK.

ALONGSIDE RUSSELL CONTRERAS AND ANTONIA GONZALES, HERE'S GWYNETH DOLAND.

>> Gwyneth: THANKS LOU.

I'M NEW MEXICO In FOCUS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT GWYNETH DOLAND, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE IN STUDIO TODAY WITH ANTONIA AND RUSSELL, WHO YOU JUST SAW INTERVIEWING THE U.S. ATTORNEY.

ANTONIA, YOU'VE DONE SOME GREAT WORK HERE ON NEW MEXICO In FOCUS, TOO, SPEAKING WITH LEONA MORGAN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT ON THE NAVAJO NATION JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

I KNOW I'M AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE TODAY, BUT NOT FOR ANY GOOD REASON.

WE'VE ALL BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT I WANT TO START WITH YOU, ANTONIA.

CAN YOU TELL US -- JUST REFRESH THE AUDIENCE, REACQUAINT THEM WITH YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR, AND THE TYPE OF WORK YOU ARE MOSTLY DOING HERE AT THE STATION.

>> Antonia: WELL, I'M A PROUD CITIZEN OF THE NAVAJO NATION.

I GREW UP IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.

I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, GOT MY JOURNALISM DEGREE WAY BACK WHEN, LONG TIME AGO, AND THEN I STARTED OUT AS A COMMERCIAL TELEVISION REPORTER.

I HAD GREAT MENTORS.

FAMOUS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER CONROY CHINO, THAT'S WELL-KNOWN HERE IN NEW MEXICO, HE WAS ONE OF MY MENTORS BACK IN THE DAY.

SO I DID A LITTLE BIT OF COMMERCIAL TELEVISION UNTIL I FOUND MY PASSION IN NATIVE RADIO, WHICH I'VE BEEN DOING FOR, GEEZ, COUPLE DECADES NOW, AND I'M STILL DOING IT, OBVIOUSLY.

AND OF COURSE, HERE MY WORK WITH NEW MEXICO PBS MOSTLY COVERING TRIBAL ISSUES AND MIRRORING A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I'M DOING ON THE RADIO.

>> Gwyneth: WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU DOING IT.

RUSS, HOW ABOUT YOU?

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A JOURNALIST?

WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN EXACT YEAR.

BUT WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU CAME TO US?

>> Russell: WELL, I STARTED MY CAREER IN THE NINETIES WORKING IN HOUSTON, WORKING ON ALTERNATIVE NEWS WEEKLY PUBLICATIONS, AND THEN I TOOK MY CAREER TO NEW YORK AND THEN BOSTON AND BACK HERE.

THIS IS MY SECOND TIME IN NEW MEXICO.

YOU KNOW, THE STORIES I COVER NOW AT AXIOS ARE AROUND RACE AND JUSTICE, AND THAT'S LOOKING AT HOW RACE PLAYS A ROLE IN THE DEBATES AROUND OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM, WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE COUNTRY IS BECOMING MORE DIVERSE.

IT'S BECOMING YOUNGER, BUT YET WE SEEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO RECONCILE OUR HISTORY.

AND THAT WILL SPILL OVER IN HOW THINGS -- HOW WE DEBATE THINGS ABOUT EDUCATION, ABOUT OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.

LIKE, WHO CAN HOLD OFFICE, WHO'S ELIGIBLE TO HOLD OFFICE.

THESE ARE INTENSE DEBATES THAT DON'T GO AWAY.

AND THIS REMINDS ME OF SOME OF THE STUFF YOU COVER HERE IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT A DECADE, COVERING OUR LEGISLATURE WHEN IT BEGINS IN JANUARY.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU WHEN YOU'RE NOT STICKING A MIC IN A LAWMAKER'S FACE, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW?

>> Gwyneth: IT'S PRETTY TOUGH DOING THIS SESSION.

AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION JUST THROWS YOUR REGULAR LIFE UP IN THE AIR.

BUT YOU KNOW, I'M TEACHING MOST OF THE TIME NOW.

I STARTED IN ALT WEEKLIES TOO, RUSS, IN THE NINETIES, AND THEN I SPENT ABOUT TEN YEARS IN NEWSPAPERS.

THEN I MOVED TO POLITICS ONLINE AND DID SOME RADIO, AND THEN CAME HERE TO TV.

AND I'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR ABOUT 13 YEARS.

THAT'S AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE.

AND I STARTED TEACHING JUST ONE CLASS AT A TIME FOR FUN, AND NOW I'VE SORT OF FLIPPED MY CAREER WHERE I'M MOSTLY TEACHING.

I'M A PROFESSOR NOW.

AND THEN I COME OVER HERE TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU AND COVER THE LEGISLATURE, DO SOME ELECTIONS.

AND WHEN I ASK NICELY, THEY LET ME DO SOME INTERVIEWS WITH AUTHORS AND ARTISTS, SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, MORE COLORFUL.

>> Russell: GEN X POWER, THAT'S WHAT I SAY.

>> Gwyneth: THAT'S RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT TO STICK TOGETHER, RIGHT.

ANTONIA, SPEAKING OF POLITICAL COVERAGE, YOU'VE DONE SOME OF THAT, TOO, AND THAT'S ONE OF YOUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE.

YOU HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES, BOTH OF THE LEADING CANDIDATES FOR THE NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENT AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S ELECTION.

WHAT TYPES OF STORIES ARE YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING NOW MOVING FORWARD?

>> Antonia: WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, DEFINITELY WITH THE ELECTION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ELECTION COVERAGE, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE TRIBAL CANDIDATES AND THE TRIBAL LEADERS, BUT NATIONAL ELECTIONS, STATE ELECTIONS, BECAUSE OF COURSE, INDIAN COUNTRY IS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

OF COURSE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A TRUST RESPONSIBILITY TO TRIBES.

>> Gwyneth: IT'S A BIG CONSTITUENCY.

>> Antonia: YEAH.

AND SO HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WE HAVE 23 TRIBES AND THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON HERE, SO DEFINITELY ELECTION COVERAGE COMING UP.

I JUST FINISHED DOING A COUPLE STORIES IN SANTA FE.

ONE WAS TALKING TO ARTISTS AT THE SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET, AND ALSO THIS REALLY NEAT ALASKA NATIVE PARKA EXHIBIT THAT'S BEING SHOWN IN SANTA FE THROUGH NEXT APRIL.

SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF STORIES THAT ARE GOING TO COME OUT PRETTY SOON.

AND DEFINITELY HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, HOUSING.

ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH NATIVE PEOPLE.

>> Gwyneth: PEOPLE OFTEN THINK THAT WE'RE REALLY INTO OUR OWN LITTLE BEATS, BUT THE THING THAT SORT OF UNIFIES US AS JOURNALISTS IS THIS RELENTLESS CURIOSITY, RIGHT?

RUSS, YOU'VE HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD INTERVIEWS, SOME FAIRLY HIGH PROFILE INTERVIEWS IN RECENT MONTHS.

YOU DID BERNALILLO COUNTY'S NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND THEN THE INTERVIEW WE JUST SAW TODAY WITH U.S. ATTORNEY ALEX UBALLEZ.

BUT THEN YOU'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH AUTHORS AND PROFESSORS.

WHAT SHOULD VIEWERS BE LOOKING FOR YOU TO DO IN THE COMING MONTHS?

WHAT ARE YOU REALLY INTO RIGHT NOW?

>> Russell: WELL, WHEN WE GET A GUEST INTO STUDIO, WE ASK THEM, JUST GIVE ME TEN MINUTES.

I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO HOW WE DIVE INTO THIS PERSON'S LIFE.

WE TRY OUR BEST HERE TO GET THE GUEST TO GO BEYOND TALKING POINTS.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF POLITICIANS WILL COME IN HERE, THEY'RE VERY COACHED BY POLITICAL CONSULTANTS, AND THEIR WHOLE GOAL IS NOT TO GET IN TROUBLE.

WE WANT TO HELP GET THEM, PUSH THEM ASIDE AND TELL US SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

LOOK, WE'RE THE POOREST STATE IN THE NATION.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES HERE.

IF A POLITICIAN IS JUST SITTING THROWING OUT TALKING POINTS AND NOT GIVING US ANYTHING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADVANCE.

WE NEED TO ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT?

IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SAY, I'M FOR MY CHILDREN'S FUTURE, I'M ANTI-POTHOLE, WE SHOULD ALL BE THAT WAY, RIGHT?

TELL ME SOMETHING THAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT.

AND THIS REMINDS ME OF WHAT YOU DO AS A POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT.

YOU BRING UP A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT OUR POLITICAL LANDSCAPE.

YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT REDISTRICTING.

IN THE COMING DAYS, WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN?

WHAT REALLY CAPTURES YOUR IMAGINATION ABOUT OUR POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS?

>> Gwyneth: I LIKED WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE CHANGING IDEAS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STARTING TO VOTE NOW AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE OUR FUTURE LAWMAKERS.

WE'VE GOT A FAIRLY FRESH CROP OF LAWMAKERS IN SANTA FE RIGHT NOW.

IT'S BEEN A VERY INTERESTING TIME OF TRANSITION, OF POWER OVER THE PAST FIVE, SIX YEARS, A LOT OF NEW VOICES UP THERE, A LOT OF CHANGES WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

ALL OF THIS IS MAKING US KIND OF RE-EXAMINE DYNAMICS THAT REALLY HAD BEEN FAIRLY STUCK IN PLACE FOR DECADES, AND NOW IT'S KIND OF A NEW GAME, WHICH I FIND REALLY INTERESTING.

OF COURSE, THIS JANUARY, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT MONEY.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, BECAUSE IT'S A BUDGET SESSION.

SOME OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE FAMILIAR THEMES.

OH, HEY, WE'VE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF OIL AND GAS MONEY RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT?

BUT THE NATURE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS IS DIFFERENT.

NOW PEOPLE ARE TALKING IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN DO THESE THINGS AS REPORTERS WHERE YOU PLAN AN INTERVIEW, AND THEN YOU THINK, OKAY, WHAT'S SHE GOING TO SAY WHEN I ASK THAT?

OKAY, SHE'S GOING TO SAY THAT, I KNOW, AND THEN I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, RIGHT, AND YOU CAN BASICALLY KIND OF PLAN INTERVIEWS OUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS POLITICIAN.

WITH AN ARTIST, YOU CAN NEVER PREDICT THAT, RIGHT, BUT WITH POLITICIANS, YOU CAN.

BUT I'M FINDING THIS HARDER AND HARDER.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S KEEPING ME REALLY INTERESTED, YOU KNOW.

LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW MY STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE GRADUATING, GETTING REAL JOBS IN NEWS, AND THEN BUYING HOUSES AND BECOMING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN BECOMING INTERESTED IN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TAXES AND DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO I KEEP MY STUDENTS IN MIND WHEN I'M DOING ALL OF THIS REPORTING.

NOT JUST, IS THIS GOING TO BE RELEVANT TO THEM WHEN THEY SEE IT, BUT LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR INTERESTS.

>> Russell: ESPECIALLY AS THE MEDIA CHANGES ITS LANDSCAPE, WE HAVE TO REALLY CONSIDER, HOW DO WE USE MEDIA TO HIT OUR CONSUMERS.

WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT NEWSLETTERS.

WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT PODCASTS.

WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT NONTRADITIONAL WAYS TO GO AFTER THESE NEWS CONSUMERS WHO ARE GOING TO BE SHAPING OUR STATE'S FUTURE.

>> Gwyneth: YEAH, MY STUDENTS NEVER WATCH THIS SHOW AT 7:00 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY, BUT THEY SEE IT ON YOUTUBE, RIGHT, ALL THE TIME.

SO WE'LL CHECK IN WITH THEM THERE.

BUT IT WAS GREAT CATCHING UP WITH YOU ALL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS AND DOING SOME REALLY GREAT TELEVISION.

THANK YOU.

>> Lou: THANK YOU GWYNETH, ANTONIA AND RUSSELL.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR STORIES IN THE COMING MONTHS OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS EXPECT TO SEE PLENTY OF ORIGINAL JOURNALISM FROM 'OUR LAND' SENIOR PRODUCER LAURA PASKUS HERE ON NEW MEXICO In FOCUS.

ONE OF THE STORIES SHE HAS HER EYE ON RIGHT NOW IS THE RIO GRANDE DRYING SOUTH OF SOCORRO, WITH THE RIVER'S ALBUQUERQUE STRETCH EXPECTED TO REACH THAT POINT IN A MATTER OF DAYS.

HERE'S A LOOK AT THE RIVER EARLIER THIS WEEK ON ALBUQUERQUE'S NORTH SIDE.

IF AND WHEN IT DRIES IN THE CITY, IT WILL BE JUST THE SECOND TIME IN 40 YEARS, LAST YEAR BEING THE FIRST.

THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE CONSERVANCY DISTRICT HAS WARNED FARMERS THAT DELIVERIES MAY TAKE LONGER THAN USUAL, OR STOP ENTIRELY.

WITH NO MORE IRRIGATION WATER LEFT IN STORAGE IN UPSTREAM RESERVOIRS, THE DISTRICT HAS ALSO SUGGESTED FARMERS RECONSIDER PLANTING FALL CROPS.

THE U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION IS WORKING WITH THE IRRIGATION DISTRICT AND THE U.S.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO RELEASE EXTRA WATER TO SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE RIVER WHERE THE ENDANGERED SILVERY MINNOW LIVES.

OFFICIALS WANT TO KEEP MORE OF THE TINY FISH ALIVE WHILE LEAVING AT LEAST SOME WATER IN THE RIVER IN THE AREA.

THIS IS SOMETHING LAURA AND OUR ENTIRE TEAM AT NMPBS WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY.

YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT IT IN LAURA'S 'OUR LAND WEEKLY' NEWSLETTER.

YOU CAN SIGN UP, OR SCROLL THROUGH IT ON THE NEW MEXICO In FOCUS WEBSITE.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO In FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.