Colleen Heild

Albuquerque

Investigative Reporter at Albuquerque Journal

Investigative reporter

Articles

Legal clash over military trespassing at New Mexico border heats up

1 week ago | stripes.com | Colleen Heild

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters about the establishment of the New Mexico National Defense Area along the southern border near Santa Teresa, N.M., on April 25, 2025.
Legal clash over military trespassing at New Mexico border heats up

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Colleen Heild

May 29—An Uzbekistan national is at the center of an expanding legal battle over whether migrants illegally entering from Mexico can also be convicted of trespassing on New Mexico's new military border zone. On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico focused on the case of Dishoda Rozlkova in appealing the dismissal of the misdemeanor military trespass charges filed against her and hundreds of other defendants earlier this month.
Legal clash over military trespassing at New Mexico border heats up

1 week ago | abqjournal.com | Colleen Heild

An Uzbekistan national is at the center of an expanding legal battle over whether migrants illegally entering from Mexico can also be convicted of trespassing on New Mexico's new military border zone. On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico focused on the case of Dishoda Rozlkova in appealing the dismissal of the misdemeanor military trespass charges filed against her and hundreds of other defendants earlier this month. The issue now goes to a U.S. district judge for consideration.
New U.S. Attorney for New Mexico picks executive team

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Colleen Heild

May 26—U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Ryan Ellison announced the appointment of a new executive leadership team on Friday, reiterating the office's top two priorities of public safety and a secure U.S. border. Kimberly Brawley as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, overseeing the Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Divisions. Ms. Brawley joined the office in 2007 and has worked across all sections of the Criminal Division.
New U.S. Attorney for New Mexico picks executive team

1 week ago | abqjournal.com | Colleen Heild

U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Ryan Ellison announced the appointment of a new executive leadership team on Friday, reiterating the office's top two priorities of public safety and a secure U.S. border. Kimberly Brawley as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, overseeing the Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Divisions. Ms. Brawley joined the office in 2007 and has worked across all sections of the Criminal Division. kAmr9C:DE@A96C |4}2:C[ H9@ ;@:?65 E96 @77:46 :?
N.M. prison to close, with more than 200 layoffs

2 weeks ago | corrections1.com | Colleen Heild

By Colleen HeildAlbuquerque Journal, N.M.ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The owners of the Lea County Correctional Facility near Hobbs are shutting down the medium-security prison after 27 years, laying off more than 200 employees by the end of June while the state moves out an estimated 1,000 inmates to other New Mexico prisons. But there could be a new purpose for the 350,000-square-foot private prison owned by the GEO Group: holding detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Lea County prison to close, with more than 200 layoffs

2 weeks ago | abqjournal.com | Colleen Heild

The owners of the Lea County Correctional Facility near Hobbs are shutting down the medium-security prison after 27 years, laying off more than 200 employees by the end of June while the state moves out an estimated 1,000 inmates to other New Mexico prisons. But there could be a new purpose for the 350,000-square-foot private prison owned by the GEO Group: holding detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Federal judge dismisses more than 100 border trespassing charges related to New Mexico military zone

3 weeks ago | stripes.com | Colleen Heild

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters about the establishment of the New Mexico National Defense Area along the southern border near Santa Teresa, N.M., on April 25, 2025.
Federal judge dismisses more than 100 border trespassing charges related to military zone

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Colleen Heild

May 15—In a blow to the Trump administration's new military mission on the southern U.S. border, New Mexico's top federal magistrate judge has ruled the government had no probable cause to charge hundreds of migrants with trespassing onto newly designated military property. The decision by U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Gregory Wormuth of Las Cruces resulted in the dismissal of the misdemeanor trespassing charges in nearly two dozen illegal entry cases in federal court in Las Cruces on Thursday.
Federal judge dismisses more than 100 border trespassing charges related to military zone

3 weeks ago | abqjournal.com | Colleen Heild

In a blow to the Trump administration's new military mission on the southern U.S. border, New Mexico's top federal magistrate judge has ruled the government had no probable cause to charge hundreds of migrants with trespassing onto newly designated military property. And while more dismissals of the trespassing charges are expected, most, if not all, defendants are still facing illegal entry charges and remain in federal custody at jails across southern New Mexico.