Spike in Migrant Deaths & Potential Impact of Redrawn Congressional Map

This week on New Mexico in Focus, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with two journalists, Lauren Villagran of USA Today and Omar Ornelas of the El Paso Times, about their yearlong investigation into a spike in migrant deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Last month, the New Mexico Supreme Court handed Republicans a defeat when the justices ruled that the state’s redrawn congressional map was constitutional.  The case began in early 2022, when the GOP filed a lawsuit alleging state Democrats drew new lines for District 2 in a way that weakened the voting power of residents, mostly in southern New Mexico. Last October, District Court Judge Fred Van Soelen found that Democrats intentionally tried to dilute Republican votes in District 2, but that those efforts did not “rise to the level of an egregious gerrymander.” The Supreme Court agreed.   

KUNM reporter Nash Jones has followed the ins and outs of this story since it began. This week, they host a two-part roundtable discussion exploring the ramifications of the court’s decision and how this is already shaping the state’s congressional contests and future redistricting efforts. 

Lastly, we look back on the lasting impact of a historic mining town in the northeast corner of the state. Correspondent Russell Contreras interviews author Nick Pappas about Dawson, New Mexico, and the two mining disasters that devastated the community and made headlines around the world.   

Host: Lou DiVizio

Segments: 
Spike in Migrant Deaths on the Southern Border 
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor 
Guests: Lauren Villagran, border reporter, USA Today Network
Omar Ornelas, photojournalist, El Paso Times 

NM Supreme Court Upholds Redrawn Congressional Map 
Correspondent: Nash Jones 
Guests: Dede Feldman, Democratic Former New Mexico State Senator 
Justine Fox-Young, Republican Former New Mexico State Representative 
Ed Chavez, Chair, Citizen Redistricting Committee 

How NM’s Redrawn Congressional Map Could Affect Future Elections 
Correspondent: Nash Jones 
Guests: Dede Feldman, Democratic Former New Mexico State Senator 
Justine Fox-Young, Republican Former New Mexico State Representative 
Ed Chavez, Chair, Citizen Redistricting Committee 

Writer Nick Pappas Remembers NM Ghost Town with New Book, “Crosses of Iron” 
Correspondent: Russell Contreras 
Guest: Nick Pappas, author, “Crosses of Iron: The Tragic Story of Dawson, New Mexico, and its Twin Mining Disasters”