This week, New Mexico in Focus returned to Santa Fe for the second week of a quick-moving 30-day legislative session.

The Immigrant Safety Act, introduced by Democratic state Reps. Eleanor Chávez and Angelica Rubio, would ban public entities from contracting with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to lock up immigrants. Host Nash Jones spoke with both representatives about the bill, as the legislation seems poised to pass both chambers of the Roundhouse. Later, Nash speaks with Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher, who offered a nuanced perspective on her government's relationship with ICE and the role prisons play where she lives.

Earlier this week, hundreds of people from across the state gathered in Santa Fe for the 2026 Immigrant and Worker Day of Action. A group from Farmington traveled for hours to ensure lawmakers heard their community's voice. Reporter Cailley Chella was there as they rallied for safety, privacy and a safe place in New Mexico's future.

This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on decades of institutional knowledge and changed its vaccine recommendations for children. The shift has puzzled medical experts, and it leaves the CDC at odds with a longtime partner: the American Academy of Pediatrics. Senior Producer Lou DiVizio sat down with the state's top doctor, Miranda Durham, to try and unravel the confusion and break down what this all means for families in New Mexico.

Democratic state Sen. Mimi Stewart has been trying for years to codify the climate goals set by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2017. Stewart tells correspondent Gwyneth Doland why this year's bill, the Clear Horizons Act, might finally make its way to the governor's desk.

Among the changes in this year's Clear Horizons bill is a requirement for the Environment Department to consult with potentially affected tribal governments before enacting new policies. Ahtza Dawn Chavez, executive director of NM Native Vote, spoke with Gwyneth about that addition, how it protects tribal sovereignty while still moving the state forward toward reducing emissions.

Capital and Main reporter Jerry Redfern returns to the studio to talk with Executive Producer Jeff Proctor about a seismology equipment funding bill that has more to do with the oil and gas industry than meets the eye.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 1 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app. Involved, informed, in-depth media: watch New Mexico in Focus again online shortly thereafter.

Host: Nash Jones

NMiF Segments

Bill Would Ban Detention Contracts with ICE in NM
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guests
Rep. Eleanor Chávez, D-Albuquerque
Rep. Angelica Rubio, D-Las Cruces

County Manager Says ICE Bill Could Hurt Community
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
Kate Fletcher, Cibola County manager

Immigrant Workers Rights Group Speaks in Santa Fe
Correspondent
Cailley Chella

Guests
Jorge Rivera, Farmington oil field worker
Rep. Joseph Hernandez, D-Shiprock
Rocio Valencia, community advocate
Rep. Sarah Silva, D-Las Cruces

Top State Doctor on Vaccines for Children
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio

Guest
Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer, NM Health Department

Clear Horizons Act Aims to Reduce Pollution
Correspondent
Gwyneth Doland

Guest
Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque

Tribal Sovereignty and the Clear Horizons Act
Correspondent
Gwyneth Doland

Guest
Ahtza Dawn Chavez, executive director, NM Native Vote

How Seismology Funding Intersects with Oil and Gas Industry
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor

Guest
Jerry Redfern, oil and gas reporter, Capital and Main

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, educational, and art issues, exploring them in depth with a critical eye to provide context beyond the "news of the moment."

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. Host and producer of New Mexico in Focus is Nash Jones. Producer is Antonio Sanchez. Multimedia journalist is Cailley Chella.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund. Funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming.