New Mexico in Focus; 1026; Top Ten Countdown Part 1 and DACA Students

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE NELITTA E. WALKER FUND FOR KNME-TV, THE KNME-TV ENDOWMENT FUND AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS, WE BEGIN OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP NEWS STORIES OF 2016. >> I LIKE THE STORY, THOUGH, BECAUSE THE FACT EPA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SPILL MADE ENVIRONMENTALISTS OUT OF A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS. >> A GROUP OF STUDENTS JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF THE U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICY. >> THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. THIS WEEK, WE BEGIN OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP NEWS STORIES FROM THE PAST YEAR. OUR SPECIAL PANEL OF LOCAL JOURNALISTS WILL LOOK BACK AT 2016 AND WHAT WE CHOSE AS THE TOP 10 ISSUES. WE'LL BEGIN OUR COUNTDOWN AT NO. 10 ON OUR LIST.

>> CHOOSING 10 TOP STORIES OF THE YEAR IS A SUBJECTIVE TASK. WE ASKED OUR PRODUCERS AND TODAY'S LINE OPINION PANEL FOR THEIR CHOICES, WHICH COINCIDED SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES DIVERGED. BUT WE CAME UP WITH A FINAL LIST. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT NEWS EVENTS AND STORIES WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. GET IN TOUCH WITH US ON OUR WEBSITE, NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. FACEBOOK OR TWITTER. LET'S GET STARTED WITH STORY NO. 10. A GREAT GROUP OF JOURNALISTS WITH US THIS WEEK, STARTING WITH MARISA DEMARCO, GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER AT KUNM RADIO; ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER, RUSSELL CONTRERAS IS HERE. STEVE TERRELL, POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICO AND JULIE ANN GRIMM, EDITOR OF THE SANTA FE REPORTER. THE ROLL-OUT OF THE TWO-TIERED LICENSE PROGRAM DIDN'T GO AS SMOOTHLY AS MANY HOPED. NOVEMBER 14, NEW MEXICO'S MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION BEGAN ISSUING TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF VEHICLE OPERATOR ID. ONE IS A DRIVER'S LICENSE THAT COMPLIES WITH THE FEDERAL REAL ID ACT AND THE OTHER IS A DRIVING AUTHORIZATION CARD

GEARED TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS. >> MANY DRIVERS SEEKING LICENSES OR THOSE CARDS WEREN'T PREPARED. DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WERE PREPARED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COUNTER, MEANING MVD FOLKS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC? COULD WE HAVE DONE BETTER? >> YES, WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE DONE BETTER IN EXPLAINING THIS, BECAUSE THIS WAS A LOCALIZED AND BOTH SIDES DUG IN THEIR HEELS AND TRIED TO FRAME ARGUMENT ABOUT IMMIGRATION AROUND A LOCAL ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MARTINEZ WALKED IN. BOTH SIDES WERE GETTING ANNOYING, QUITE FRANKLY. ONE SIDE WOULD SAY, WE ARE AGAINST FINGERPRINTS ALL THE WAY, AND ONCE FINGERPRINTS WERE ACCEPTED, OH, WE ARE FOR IT AND MARTINEZ LOST. THIS WEIRD DYNAMIC. MORE SO THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SO PROVINCIAL THAT AFTER THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP SOME OF THE SAME IMMIGRANT GROUPS WERE SAYING WE NEED TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING ABOUT DRIVER'S LICENSES. NO, THAT IS WAY DOWN THE LIST NOW. IMMIGRANTS ARE REALLY SCARED ABOUT WHAT A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DOES AND IT WILL SHOW HOW PROVINCIAL WE

ARE AND IT IS STILL NOT RESOLVED AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOT A GREEN PASS ON THE FACT THAT THEY WERE THE ONES TRYING TO ENFORCE THIS ON US. >> RIGHT. FOLLOW UP ON THAT, IF YOU WOULD, YOU FOLLOWED POLITICS OF THIS CLOSELY. HAD THIS BIG CRESCENDO THEN SUDDENLY THIS WEIRD DROPOFF. ARE WE BETTER OFF NOW AS NEW MEXICANS WITH THIS PROGRAM OR IS THIS SOMETHING WE NEED MORE TIME TO MANAGE FULLY? TO WORK THE BUGS OUT IN THE SYSTEM. WE GET -- I GET COMPLAINTS FROM, OTHER REPORTERS, AND I AM SURE OTHER NEWS OUTLETS GET COMPLAINTS EVERYDAY ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT WENT TO THE MVD AND DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT DOCUMENTATION AND DIDN'T KNOW IT IS ON THE WEBSITE WHAT YOU CAN HAVE, COLUMN A, B AND C BUT THERE IS SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE, IN THIS STATE, WHO DO NOT HAVE COMPUTERS AND ACCESS TO COMPUTERS. AND I TALKED TO A LADY THE OTHER DAY LIKE THAT, WHO -- SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE HER LICENSE RENEWED FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS LIKE ME. SO HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME SHE

AND I ARE READY TO GET OUR DRIVER'S LICENSES, SOME OF THE BUGS WILL BE WORKED OUT AND IT WILL BECOME ROUTINE AGAIN. >> DRIVER AUTHORIZATION CARDS, INTERESTING ANGLE TO THIS. A LOT OF FOLKS ARE HAVING ISSUES HOWEVER SAYING THIS IS SORT OF A BACK DOOR TO LITERALLY DOCUMENTING IMMIGRANT FOLKS THAT ARE HERE. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE IN REPORTING ON THIS ISSUE? THIS WEEK ABOUT THE CONCERN THAT HAVING THIS TWO-TIERED LICENSE SYSTEM IN EFFECT IDENTIFIES AND GIVES A LOT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND WITH THE, YOU KNOW, RADICAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE PRESIDENT ELECT, IS IT GOING TO CREATE A SITUATION WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD DEMAND THAT INFORMATION IN AN EFFORT TO DEPORT FOLKS. SO, THERE IS CONCERN WITH THAT, CONCERN WITH PEOPLE UNDER DACA BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED PERSONAL INFO TO RECEIVE THAT PROTECTION. ACLU IS TALKING ABOUT IS THERE

A WAY TO PUSH BACK ON GOVERNMENTAL DEMANDS FOR THAT INFORMATION, SHOULD IT COME DOWN. >> UH-HUH. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. >> JULIE ANN GRIMM, GLAD YOU'RE HERE WITH US AS WELL. THE IDEA OF SAFETY WAS A BIG DEAL FOR THE GOVERNOR, THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S SIDE OF IT, A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. THAT SORT OF WASHED OUT IN THE DIALOGUE, RECENTLY. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THAT? >> MY SENSE IS THAT WAS NEVER I THINK THAT MARISA IS RIGHT, IT IS REALLY THE SYSTEM WE CREATED IS ABOUT IDENTIFYING PEOPLE AND THAT THERE IS A VERY REAL DANGER OF THAT. WE HAVE GOT ONE OF THE TOP IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS IN SANTA FE HAS BEEN TELLING PEOPLE WHO ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE DEFERRED ACTION PROGRAM NOT TO APPLY NOW BECAUSE OF THIS CONCERN THERE COULD BE LIST SHARING. IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, THERE IS ALSO A CONCERN ABOUT WHO WOULD GET THAT SUBPOENA? IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID WANT OUR LIST, WOULD IT GO TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, TO THE CABINET THAT IS IN CHARGE OF MOTOR VEHICLES?

WOULD IT GO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL? WHO IS A DEMOCRAT WHO MAYBE HAS A DIFFERENT IDEA. THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY THAT OUR TWO-TIERED SYSTEM DID NOT MAKE THINGS CLEAR. >> INTERESTING. LEAVE THAT THERE. MOVE ON TO NO. 9 OF THE TOP STORIES OF 2016. LAND IS IMPORTANT TO NEW MEXICANS CERTAINLY AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR US. WE COVERED MANY STORIES OVER THE YEARS. LAWSUITS FILED OVER THE GOLD KING MINE SPILL. INCIDENT AT THE NUCLEAR WASTE SITE. PNM'S RATE HIKE REQUEST TO COVER AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION COSTS WOULD BE A FEW. JULIE ANN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS ITEM, WHICH TOPS THE LIST FOR YOU? THERE WAS SO MUCH ON THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS A BIG ONE, BUT STILL CAME IN AT NO. 9. WHAT WAS THE ONE FOR YOU THIS YEAR? >> YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT THE EPA, YOU KNOW, ROLE IN THE BIG SPILL THAT HAPPENED THAT TURNED ANIMAS RIVER THE COLOR OF TROPICANA, THAT WAS A BIG STORY. AND THAT IS A STORY THAT

CONTINUES. IT WON'T BE RESOLVED. EVEN IF THE EPA AGREED TO PAY THE ESTIMATED REMEDIATION COST, NO AMOUNT OF MONEY IS GOING TO UNDO THE DAMAGE. THEY SAY IF THERE IS AN INCREASED RUNOFF, INCREASED FLOW IN THAT RIVER, THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE A WHOLE WAVE OF SEDIMENT THAT HAS BEEN LOCKED ON TO THE RIPARIAN AREA. SO, I THINK THAT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE NAVAJO NATION, ARE GOING TO FEEL RIPPLES OF THAT SPILL FOR DECADES, MORE THAN DECADES. >> RUSSELL CONTRERAS, TRIBES FEELING THE RIPPLE THAT JULIE ANN MENTIONED AS WELL. THEY WERE HIGHLY AFFECTED BY THIS. NAVAJOS PARTICULARLY. IF YOU THINK BACK ON IT, WITH THOSE AWFUL WATER TANK TRUCKS, THEY WERE GETTING TERRIBLE WATER, ALL KINDS OF ISSUES FOR THE TRIBES. >> YES, NAVAJO PRESIDENT STILL HASN'T GOTTEN A CALL FROM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS A CASE WHERE WITH THE NEW PRESIDENT ELECT COMING IN WITH RADICALLY DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT WHAT THE EPA DOES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES IS COMING IN IN A PLACE WHERE THE EPA IS ALREADY FACING CRITICISM UNDER A PROGRESSIVE ADMINISTRATION.

SO NOW EVEN THOUGH ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE UPSET, WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE IN INDIAN COUNTRY, THEY SAY, WHAT IS OF THE DIFFERENCE? BECAUSE WE HAD A VERY ACTIVIST EPA AND WE ARE NOT GETTING RESULTS. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS AS A RESULT. NOW THE EPA IS IN THIS SPOT WHERE ALL SIDES OF CRITICIZING THEM AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE RIVER AND SEE THE RESULTS. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. >> THE AMOUNT OF MONEY STEVE TERRELL THAT THE FED'S ARE GOING TO GIVE, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE AMOUNT. THERE IS NO AMOUNT BIG ENOUGH, CERTAINLY BUT IT HAD TO BE BETTER THAN FOUR-AND-A-HALF MILLION. >> THAT WAS A FRACTION OF THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BASICALLY BROKE TOO. AND I DON'T KNOW. I LIKE THE STORY, THOUGH, BECAUSE THE FACT THAT EPA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SPILL MADE ENVIRONMENTALISTS OUT OF A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS. SO -- AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS TERRIBLE WHAT HAPPENED. >> EXACTLY. MARISA, GLAD TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS.

YOU WENT OUT AND DID SOME REPORTING IN THE AREA I UNDERSTAND. TELL US ABOUT THAT. >> I WENT TO SHIPROCK SHORTLY AFTER THE SPILL AND SHIPROCK IS REALLY THE AGRARIAN HUB OF THE NAVAJO NATION AND TALKED TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. AND I THINK THE THING THAT STRUCK ME ABOUT IT IS THAT, SO, THE NAVAJO NATION IS SUING THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR A BIG CHUNK OF FUNDING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME RESTITUTION FOR THE LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, BUT THE THING THEY POINTED OUT THAT IS FORGOTTEN, THE EPA CREATED THE PROBLEM AND EPA IS PART OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOO. SO THE ENTITY THAT CREATED THE PROBLEM IS ALSO IN CHARGE OF DETERMINING WHAT KIND OF COSTS ARE RECOUPED. THAT CREATES AN INTERESTING CONFLICT THAT I DON'T THINK IS HIGHLIGHTED OFTEN. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. RUSSELL CONTRERAS, ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS BIG FOR US THIS YEAR. WE HAD PART OF A CONTINUING STORY FROM LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, WAS DEALING WITH THE ROOF COLLAPSE AND ALL THAT

OTHER STUFF. WHERE DO WE SIT NOW WITH WIPP AND THE BIGGER ENVIRONMENTAL PICTURE WHEN IT COMES TO ITS LOCATION? >> WE DON'T KNOW. LATE OPENING. WE WERE TOLD WHEN THIS HAPPENED WE MIGHT EXPECT IT TO BE OPEN BY NOW AND IT IS NOT. THERE IS STILL MORE QUESTIONS THAN THERE ARE ANSWERS AND FOR AN AREA LIKE CARLSBAD WHERE IT DEPENDS ON THIS AS AN ECONOMIC HUB, IT IS GOING TO BE A REAL QUESTION WITH NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING IN. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS CLARIFIED ANY TIME SOON. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? NEW ADMINISTRATION, IS THERE GOING TO BE A PUSH TO GET THIS THING RESOLVED? >> THE UP SIDE TO THE RURAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WIPP IS THAT THIS HUGE SETTLEMENT OF 74 MILLION NEW MEXICO IS GETTING MEANS THEY ALL GET GROOVY ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE STUCK IN AREA, WHERE, YEAH, THE SENTIMENT IN THAT AREA IS WE NEED THESE JOBS, WE WANT WIPP TO BE OPEN. I THINK THERE IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SENTIMENT IN SANTA FE WHERE WE ARE WATCHING THE WASTE LEAVE LOS ALAMOS AND KNOWING THERE IS NO WAY, REALLY NO -- >> ALL THE OTHER LOCATIONS AS WELL.

>> STEVE TERRELL THE IDEA THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHEN THIS THING WILL REOPEN. HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THE FUTURE IF YOU'RE CARLSBAD? NOBODY REALLY KNOWS. >> AND THAT IS A QUESTION I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR. HOW DO YOU PLAN? IT IS GOING TO BE UP IN THE AIR FOR A WHILE. I DON'T KNOW IF DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO CLARIFY IT IN ANY WAY AT ALL. >> WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANL AND WIPP AT THIS POINT? JULIE ANN MENTIONED THEY HAVE TRANSURANIC WASTE SORT OF SITTING THERE WAITING. IT IS A DIFFICULTY FOR THEM AS WELL. >> THAT IS WHY THEY BUILT WIPP IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT IS LIKE SO MUCH ELSE IN THE GOVERNMENT IS STAGNANT. >> EXACTLY RIGHT. >> PNM HAD A HECK OF A YEAR, AS THEY SAY, CLOSING DOWN PLANTS OVER HERE, OPENING HERE AND GETTING RATE REDUCTIONS REJECTED. WHERE DO WE SIT NOW WITH PNM? THEY ARE IN A TOUGH SPOT, TRYING TO MOVE TO RENEWABLES

AND TRYING TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN OLDER TECHNOLOGIES WORK. IT IS A DIFFICULT POSITION FOR THEM RIGHT NOW. >> YEAH, SO, THEY ARE FACED WITH TRYING TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT ARE CREATED BY THEIR EXISTING PLANTS AND ASKING FOR ANOTHER RATE HIKE NOW IN A TIME WHEN NEW MEXICANS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CASH. THERE IS A CONFLICT THERE BETWEEN WHAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO PAY AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO CHANGE THE SITUATION THAT IS IN THESE PLANTS. >> BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE. TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IF YOU WOULD. YOU COVERED PNM'S YEAR AS WELL. >> RIGHT. THEY DID NOT GET THE RATE INCREASE THEY WANTED AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR ANOTHER ONE LIKE MARISA SAID, AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM TOO POLITICALLY IN THAT THE PRC, PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION, ONE OF MOST PRO PNM PEOPLE ON THERE, KAREN MONTOYA, WAS DEFEATED IN THE PRIMARY. CYNTHIA HALL WHO DEFEATED HER, I DON'T THINK SHE IS HOSTILE TO PNM, BUT SHE IS GOING TO BE

A LOT TOUGHER ON THEM, I THINK. SO, I THINK THEY'LL HAVE A ROUGHER TIME WITH A NEW RATE INCREASE. >> INTERESTING. RUSSELL, PICK UP ON THAT AS WELL. WHERE DOES PNM SIT RIGHT NOW AFTER 2016? >> WITH OIL PRICES, THEIR COSTS AND PROFITS ARE GOING DOWN SO THEY HAVE TO LOOK FOR REVENUE RIGHT NOW. >> JULIE ANN SAME QUESTION. >> I THINK ONE OF ISSUES IS THAT PNM HAS SEVERAL SORT OF CHUNKS OF MONEY THEY ARE TRYING TO RECOVER THROUGH THE RATE INCREASE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING ONE OF THEM IS FROM REVENUE LOST BY PEOPLE USING LESS ELECTRICITY. SO, HERE WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE PUNISHED FOR IT. I THINK THAT IS A REGULATORY FLAW WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS. >> 2017 IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING FOR THIS ORGANIZATION. WE'LL HAVE TO END IT THERE. WE'LL BE BACK IN A BIT TO TALK ABOUT TWO MORE TOP STORIES OF >> NO POLITICIAN THAT I HAVE SEEN, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY LEADERSHIP ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PARTY FINALLY ADDRESSING POVERTY, POVERTY LIKE ROBERT KENNEDY TALKED ABOUT. THIS IS GROUND ZERO FOR US. SOMEONE COULD GRAB THIS AND SAY, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HITS MY CORE.

THESE ARE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ON FOOD STAMPS. WE GOT TO GET THEM OFF, NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE WE WANT THEM NOT TO GO HUNGRY. BOTTOM LINE. >> WELCOME BACK TO THE LINE. NO. 8 ON OUR LIST IN THE TOP 10 STORIES OF THE YEAR IS THE TURMOIL THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO'S JUSTICE SYSTEM. INMATE HEALTHCARE, ACCUSATIONS OF EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE IN DETENTION CENTERS AND INADEQUATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC DEFENDERS. MARISA, A LOT OF THE ISSUES WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON SLASHES TO BUDGETS. IS THAT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM HERE? CAN MONEY ACTUALLY FIX EVERYTHING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER? >> YEAH, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THAT MONEY IS ALLOCATED IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THIS IS A STORY WE HAVE SEEN FOR MANY YEARS IN NEW MEXICO WHERE THERE IS PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE NOT BEING PUT IN THE SYSTEM FAST ENOUGH, RECEIVING TERRIBLE HEALTHCARE IN

PRISONS, NOT ENOUGH OVERSIGHT ADMINISTERED IN THE PRISONS. SO THAT IS A REALLY BROAD AND SPRAWLING PROBLEM AND MAYBE SOME FUNDING WOULD HELP SOME ASPECTS BUT THERE HAS TO BE OTHER SOLUTIONS. >> STEVE, THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE HERE IN NEW MEXICO CONSTANTLY ABOUT BUILDING MORE PRISONS VERSUS FINDING A WAY TO HELP THOSE THAT WE HAVE FIND A PATH BACK TO SOCIETY THROUGH REHAB AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WHERE DOES THAT TENSION SIT RIGHT NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE? WE HAVE A LAW AND ORDER GOVERNOR FOR TWO TERMS AND THE EFFECT OF THAT IN HOW WE VIEW JUSTICE IN OUR STATE. >> THERE WAS A MOVEMENT IN THE JUSTICE REFORM TO WORK TOWARDS NOT TO PRISON EVERYBODY. BUT IT IS FLAWED. EVERY TIME THERE IS A TERRIBLE CRIME, WE NEED MORE STRICT LAWS, WE NEED TO CRACK DOWN. SO, I DON'T SEE MUCH CHANGING

IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON THAT EXCEPT FOR GETTING WORSE. >> RIGHT. RUSSELL, SAME THING. WE HAVE GOT SOME ATTEMPTS AT REFORM. WE HAD OUR DIRECTOR OF PRISONS, FORGET HIS LAST NAME, TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY PRISONERS ARE TREATED BUT IT IS SORT OF NIBBLING AT THE EDGES FOR PEOPLE IN THE PRISON REFORM BUSINESS. >> HE DID WANT TO FOCUS ON THE RECIDIVISM RATE. THAT WAS HIS MAIN THING BEFORE HE LEFT, BUT THERE IS ALSO OUR MARISA TALKED ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT IN OUR STATE. A LOT OF THESE COUNTY JAILS ARE DE-FACTO MENTAL HOSPITALS. THEY ARE NOT GETTING THEIR SERVICES. THEY END UP IN JAIL FOR A LOT OF CASES WHERE THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND PLACED IN THERE, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THEM OR TREAT THEM. SO YOU PUT THEM IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND MATTHEW COYT, AN ATTORNEY HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, HAS MADE IT HIS MISSION TO SUE COUNTY AFTER COUNTY AFTER COUNTY BECAUSE OF CASES WHERE INMATES ARE TREATED UNFAIRLY BECAUSE THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH AND COUNTIES AREN'T PROVIDING SERVICES.

SO UNTIL WE ADDRESS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THESE PLACES SWELL WITH OUR FOLKS WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS. >> JULIE ANN, AGAIN, EVERYTHING RUSSELL TALKED ABOUT IS WELL-KNOWN HERE ACROSS OUR STATE. WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANY MOVEMENT SEPARATING THESE TWO ISSUE. >> IT IS JUST SEEMS SO OBVIOUS THAT THE STATE AND LOCAL TO GOVERN INCARCERATION, WHICH ADVOCATES OF WHAT WE CALL OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM SAY IT IS THE BEDROCK OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, KEEP PEOPLE SAFE BY PUNISHING THE BAD PEOPLE. AND THAT JUST SEEMS TO BE NOT WORKING. >> RIGHT. STEVEN, BACK TO YOU, SOMETHING YOU GUYS DID AT THE NEW MEXICAN WAS COVERING STORIES ABOUT THE LAWSUITS FILED BY INMATES AGAINST CORAZON HEALTH AND TREATMENT THEY WERE GETTING INSIDE THE PRISON SYSTEM. TOUCH ON THAT. >> THEY WEREN'T GETTING MUCH TREATMENT, THAT IS THE PROBLEM. BASICALLY NO OVERSIGHT IN THAT AND IT HAS LED TO A NUMBER OF LAWSUITS. AGAIN I DON'T SEE MANY

SOLUTIONS INSIGHT FOR THAT. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REPORTED ALSO ON SOME JAIL DEATHS. SO JAILS ARE, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS. THEY ARE NOT ONE BIG OVER-ARCHING SYSTEM LIKE THE PRISON SYSTEM, AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN RULES ABOUT HOW HEALTHCARE AND HOW IT IS ADMINISTERED AND THE THING IS THERE IS NOT A SINGLE AGENCY TRACKING DEATHS ALL AROUND THE JAILS SO WE HAD TO MAKE A REALLY SPECIAL PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST TO TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OURSELVES. THERE IS JUST NOT A LOT OF OVERSIGHT WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING EITHER IN JAILS OR IN PRISONS AND THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICANS REPORTING TOO. WHEN YOU CONTRACT THE HEALTHCARE OUT TO A PRIVATE COMPANY, THEN IT BECOMES HARD TO CONDUCT OVERSIGHT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HEALTHCARE-WISE AND DEATH-WISE IN PRISONS AND JAILS. >> CORAZON IS A BIG CORPORATE MONSTER. I FORGET HOW MANY STATES IT OPERATES IN BUT IT IS A LOT AND THEY HAVE SIMILAR LAWSUITS

AROUND THE COUNTRY ON THIS. >> JULIE ANN, THERE WAS A VIDEO RELEASED EARLIER IN THE YEAR ON SOME PRISON VIOLENCE, YOU KNOW, AND ONCE AGAIN, VIDEO CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ABOUT PRISON VIOLENCE, BUT ONCE YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT CHANGES STUFF. PUBLIC PERCEPTION I AM GETTING TO. DO WE NEED MORE PUBLIC PUSH ON THESE KINDS OF THINGS? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT IS JUST PRISONERS' FAMILIES JUST COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE THINGS. >> WE CAN'T IGNORE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THESE FACILITIES. THE MANAGEMENT, AND POLICIES ASIDE, THESE ARE NOT HIGH PAYING JOBS. THEY ARE HIGH STRESS JOBS. YOU'RE LOCKED IN THERE, TOO, ALL DAY. WE ARE NOT GIVING THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED. YOU KNOW THERE WAS A STORY EARLY IN THE YEAR, I THINK, STEVE WROTE ABOUT THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT NOT HAVING -- THE STATE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT NOT HAVING ENOUGH CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS. WE SEE THAT AT SANTA FE COUNTY WHERE THEY HAVE TO FIRE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO ARE SMUGGLING DRUGS INTO THE FACILITY. I HEAR WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT THIS BEING A REPEATED IDEA BECAUSE

WHEN I WAS A BEAT REPORTER AT THE NEW MEXICAN 10 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A DRUG SMUGGLING BIG STORY AT THE SANTA FE COUNTY JAIL. IT SEEMS LIKE HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF AND NOT MAKING PROGRESS. I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC HAS MUCH CONFIDENCE AT ALL. IT IS THE WORST THING FOR ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS TO END UP EVEN FOR OVERNIGHT. >> THAT IS RIGHT, LOTS OF STORIES. NOW TO NO. 7 IN OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP 2016 NEWS STORIES. THAT WOULD BE HEALTHCARE. PERHAPS THE BIGGEST NEWS STORY WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE CLEARING ALL 15 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS REMEMBER, HAD BEEN SUSPENDED DUE TO ALLEGATIONS OF MEDICAID FRAUD CAUSING MANY TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS, WHILE FUNDS WERE FROZEN. DOES THAT STORY MAKE THE TOP 10 OF YOUR LIST THIS YEAR. WE HAD A REAL UP AND DOWN HEALTHCARE YEAR IN OUR STATE. >> BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THING WAS A BIG DEAL. IT DRAGGED ON FOR THREE YEARS, A COMPLETE UPHEAVAL OF OUR FOR WHAT? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FINALLY

FOUND A FRACTION OF THE SO-CALLED FRAUD AND NO CRIMINAL INTENT OR NO CRIMINAL PATTERNS. SO, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORIES, I THINK, OF THE YEAR. >> THE MARTINEZ ADMINISTRATION REALLY DEFENDED THEIR ACTIONS RIGHT TO THE END HERE. YOU KNOW, ABOUT ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING. WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THEM HOWEVER WHEN THE AG CLEARS ALL BUT WHAT STEVE IS SAYING, JUST A COUPLE NOW. HOW DO YOU DEFEND THAT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL? >> THEY CAN SAY THIS IS ALL POLITICAL. IT, INSTEAD OF SAYING IT WAS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT, LET'S ALL JOIN IN, YOU SAW DEMOCRATS ON ONE SIDE SAYING THIS IS FRAUD BECAUSE THIS IS AN OUTRAGE AND THEN THE REPUBLICANS SAY, WELL, YES, YOU THINK IT IS AN OUTRAGE BECAUSE THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO DONATE TO YOUR CAMPAIGN. SO IT WAS A POLITICAL FIGHT AND ENDED UP GETTING NOWHERE. BOTH SIDES WENT BACK TO THEIR CAMP AND SAID WE DID THE BEST WE COULD. THE PEOPLE LEFT PAYING THE BILL ARE THE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE. AND THEY ARE LEFT WITH A SYSTEM THAT IS STILL BROKEN. >> JULIE ANN, HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, WE HAD TWO LONG-TERM LEGACY PLACES CLOSE, HORGARES AND ANOTHER ONE AS

WELL. FOR SANTA FE AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AS WELL, IT IS A DIFFICULTY WHEN ALL THINGS COME DOWN ON LOCAL NEEDS AND LOCAL PROVIDERS, IT IS A DIFFICULTY. >> THE SYSTEM IS STILL BROKEN. THE NETWORK IS STILL UNSTABLE. THERE IS A SANTA FE CLINIC SIGNS ON THE DOOR IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. IT WAS TEAM BUILDERS, WHICH LOST THEIR FUNDING, YOU KNOW, IN THE FREEZE. THEY WERE REPLACED BY ARIZONA PROVIDERS WHICH WERE LURED HERE WITH A RIDICULOUS SUM OF MONEY AND DECIDED TO BAIL OUT. AND NOW WE HAVE PRESBYTERIAN IN THERE PROVIDING SERVICES AND I THINK WE ARE HEARING FROM, NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON SUBSIDIZED MENTAL HEALTHCARE, BUT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE FAIRLY ABLE TO PURCHASE WHATEVER SERVICES THEY WANT. WE TALKED TO ONE WOMAN EARLIER IN THE YEAR WHO HAS A SON WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTISM AND HE IS NOW IN A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY IN ANOTHER STATE. COULDN'T EVEN STAY WITH HIS FAMILY IN NEW MEXICO BECAUSE THEIR NETWORK OF SERVICES DISSOLVED.

AND, YEAH, THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE SAYS IT ALL. IT IS HEART BREAKING AND THE STATE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT CONTINUES THIS SPIN. EVEN IF YOU ASK THEM TODAY, THEY'LL SAY, MORE NEW MEXICANS ARE RECEIVING SERVICES THAN BEFORE AND. WELL, THAT MAY BE TRUE, I DON'T THINK THAT PAINTS AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT WE LOST. >> FAMILIES MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT TAKE. >> ANOTHER SITUATION WE HAD FOR HEALTHCARE IN THE STATE WAS THE AMOUNT OF COMPANIES PROVIDING HEALTHCARE EXCHANGE COVERAGE IN THE EXCHANGE. BLUE CROSS, WE -- WE HAVE A COUPLE HANGING IN THERE BUT FOR FOLKS FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, THIS IS A DIFFICULTY, THIS LACK OF CONTRACTING CHOICE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? >> BRIEFLY, MY MIND IS STILL A LITTLE BIT ON THE LAST TOPIC AND HOW, FOR INSTANCE, IT BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. THE PROBLEM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. FOR INSTANCE, I INTERVIEWED SOME JUDGES IN ROSWELL TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY COULD NO LONGER

REMAND PEOPLE TO HEALTHCARE SITUATIONS AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND HAD TO BE SENDING THEM TO JAIL INSTEAD TO SEEK TREATMENT. I WANT TO POINT OUT THOSE TWO IDEAS ARE REALLY LINKED IN THE STATE, AND, THEN, ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE THIS COMING PROBLEM WITH ACA. I MEAN, BLUE CROSS-BLUE SHIELD IS BACK INTO THE NETWORK OR THE POOL OF PROVIDERS IN NEW MEXICO, BUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE ACA IS A REALLY BIG QUESTION ALL OVER NEW MEXICO BECAUSE IT REALLY ENABLED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE HERE, SPECIFICALLY, MORE SO EVEN THAN IT DID IN OTHER STATES, THE KIND OF OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NOW IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO NEW MEXICANS. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT? >> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING NEXT. REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS AS WELL AS PRESIDENT ELECT HAVE SWORN THEY ARE GOING TO GET RID OF OBAMA CARE FIRST THING. THEY HAVE THE VOTES TO DO IT NOW. SO, THAT IS JUST A BIG QUESTION. THAT WILL BE PROBABLY THE STORY WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR.

>> RUSSELL, QUICK CHANGE HERE. OF COURSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS COVERED OPIATE CHALLENGES HERE IN OUR STATE. THAT IS A BIG ONE FOR US HERE. >> WE HAVE SEEN IT IN THE ADDICTION CREEPING INTO OUR PUEBLOS, IN OUR NATIVE LAND. AND ONE GOVERNOR I TALKED TO SAID, I WANT TO INVITE YOU AND SHOW YOU RIGHT BY THIS CREEK, YOU SEE NOTHING BUT HYPODERMIC NEEDLES. WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ENFORCEMENT. IF SOMEONE COMES ON OUR LAND TO SELL BLACK TAR HEROIN, WE CAN'T PROSECUTE THEM. THEY ARE LOOKING AT OTHER LEGAL MEANS TO DO SO. BUT OPIATE ADDICTION AND DISCUSSION DEBATE BECAME NATIONAL AS WE STARTED LOOKING AT WEST VIRGINIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE. NEW MEXICO HAS TO CONSISTENTLY RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, HELLO, WE WERE THE FIRST AND WE REMAIN THE EPICENTER CENTER WITH ESPANOLA. YES, YOU DO HAVE WEST VIRGINIA WHO WAS NO. 1 BUT WE ARE STILL NO. 2 SO PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT US. AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT IS NOW GENERATIONAL. WE HAVE YET TO ADDRESS THAT AND WE HAVE ONE PARTICULAR CONGRESSMAN GETTING A LOT OF MONEY FROM DRUG COMPANIES THAT SELL OPIATES. THERE IS THIS TURN HERE THAT WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED AND WE

ARE NOT DISCUSSING. >> PICK THAT UP, IF YOU WOULD, NORTHERN NEW MEXICO, IT IS AN ISSUE. >> UH-HUH. >> NOT JUST IN ESPANOLA BUT OTHER -- >> THE ISSUE OF THE GENERATIONAL ABUSE OF BLACK TAR HEROIN AND THE HYPODERMIC NEEDLES IS SOMETHING THAT NEW MEXICO IS FAMILIAR WITH. IT IS ONE OF THE WORST PARTS OF OUR SORT OF COMMON NARRATIVE, BUT I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS OVERLOOKED IS THE PRESCRIPTION OPIOID CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW. ON ONE HAND YOU HAVE LAWS THAT ARE MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PAIN MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS AND THEIR PHYSICIANS TO REALLY MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES ABOUT THEIR HEALTHCARE BECAUSE YOU GO TO WALGREEN'S AND THEY WON'T GIVE YOU YOUR MEDICINE ON TIME. YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO FOLLOW THESE RULES. AT THE SAME TIME YOU HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED IN THE WORKPLACE WHO BECOME ADDICTS TO THE THESE PAINKILLERS AND SEEKING TREATMENT FOR THAT THERE IS A LOT OF STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND THERE IS NOT A LOT OF HELP OUT THERE. IT RUNS ALL ACROSS THE SPECTRUM FROM SORT OF WELL-TO-DO PEOPLE TO THOSE WHO

ARE THE THIRD GENERATION SHOOTING UP IN THE LIVING ROOM. >> WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF MOVEMENT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE ON TREATMENT, IN TREATMENT CENTERS, BUT WHAT IS YOUR SENSE HOW FAR DOWN THE ROAD WE GOT IN 2016 ON THIS ISSUE? >> IN TERMS OF PROGRESS OF HAVING TREATMENT CENTERS AVAILABLE? >> WE SAW SOME CLOSE TOO, RIGHT, WE SAW THE YOUTH TREATMENT FACILITIES, TURQUOISE LODGE, YEAH, SO, THE NEED IS SO GREAT THAT IT IS HARD TOE EVALUATE ANY PROGRESS. >> WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE AND IN A FEW MINUTES WE TALK ABOUT STORY NO. 6 IN OUR COUNTDOWN. >> REACH OUT TO US ANY TIME ON CONVERSATION AT NMINFOCUS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND FIND EPISODES AND WEB EXTRAS AT OUR >> DURING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S

EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE, CONGRESS FAILED TO PASS LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS KEY ISSUES IN THE COUNTRY'S CURRENT IMMIGRATION SYSTEM, LIKE A STATUS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE BROUGHT HERE AS CHILDREN AND GREW UP WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION. PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER IN 2012 THAT GAVE SOME YOUNG PEOPLE PROTECTION FROM DEPORTATION, SO THEY COULD ATTEND SCHOOL OR WORK. DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS OR DACA, OFFERS TEMPORARY PROTECTION AND IT IS NOT YET CLEAR IF PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP WILL REVERSE THE PROGRAM ONCE HE TAKES OFFICE IN JANUARY. NOW, ACCORDING TO THE IMMIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE, MORE THAN 7,000 PEOPLE APPLIED FOR DACA PROTECTION BY JUNE OF 2016 IN NEW MEXICO. AND EVEN MORE MAY HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR DACA. OUR PRODUCER SARAH GUSTAVUS SAT DOWN RECENTLY WITH THREE STUDENTS WHO HAVE DACA PROTECTION TO TALK ABOUT WHAT >> WITH ME TODAY IS RAFAEL MARTINEZ, PHD CANDIDATE IN AMERICAN STUDIES AT UNM. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ABDIEL RAMIREZ, ENGINEERING STUDENT AT UNM. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> AND CINDY NAVA, UNM GRADUATE STUDENT IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICIES. GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK. >> THANK YOU. >> I WANT TO START KIND OF FAR YOU'RE STUDENTS NOW. BUT, WHEN DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT YOUR LEGAL STATUS IN THE U.S.? WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE DOCUMENTATION? START WITH YOU. >> SURE. I LEARNED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE DOCUMENTATION EVER SINCE I WAS YOUNGER. I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS YOU KNOW. MY PARENTS WERE ALWAYS VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I WAS TO BE DOING AND WHAT I WAS NOT TO BE DOING. ALWAYS ENCOURAGED ME TO BE A GOOD STUDENT AND FOLLOW RULES. AND THEN THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO. AND I THINK WE KNOW -- MANY OF US KNEW IT AS CHILDREN BUT DIDN'T GET THE FULL CONCEPT AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT REALLY MEANT UNTIL WE WERE INTERESTED IN THINGS LIKE

DRIVING OR THINGS LIKE GETTING A JOB OR THINGS LIKE TRAVELING TO PLACES WHERE OUR FRIENDS WERE GOING FOR EVEN VACATION. OR I REMEMBER OUR EIGHTH GRADE TRIP OR THE SENIOR TRIP, THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT IS WHEN IT GETS REALLY, I THINK, WHEN THE FACTS START TO SINK IN. >> WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT I IMAGINE WITH CINDY TALKING ABOUT GOING ON TRIPS AND THINGS, ALSO TEENAGERS TEND TO GET IN TROUBLE, MAYBE, SO IT COULD BE A DANGEROUS THING TO INTERACT WITH POLICE IF YOU DON'T HAVE PAPERS. >> DEFINITELY. STORY. I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS UNDOCUMENTED EVER SINCE I WAS A CHILD. AND, REALLY, WHEN IT REALLY HITS IS WHEN YOU GO INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND INTO COLLEGE AND THOSE ARE KIND OF RIGHTS OF PASSAGES THAT EVERYBODY THINKS OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU ARE A CITIZEN OR NOT, FOR ALL THE EXCITING DIFFERENT REASONS. AND SO, DEFINITELY, DRIVING WAS ONE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, ALL MY FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL WERE GETTING THEIR LICENSES AND WONDERING WHY I WAS NOT GETTING ONE.

THEN, MOVING FORWARD, AFTER THAT, LIKE 18, YOU GET INTO COLLEGE AND PEOPLE WANT TO GO OUT, WANTING TO GO FOR A DRINK, GO TO CLUBS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, GO TO PARTIES AND IT IS LIKE, WHY IS EVERYBODY SHOWING THEIR ID AND YOU'RE SHOWING YOUR MEXICAN IDENTIFICATION CARD. YOU KNOW, THIS GREEN THING THAT IDENTIFIES YOU AS BEING SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT, SO TO SPEAK, AND SO THOSE ARE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU ALWAYS KIND OF GREW UP AND MY MOM WAS ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, DON'T DO THIS, BECAUSE X, Y AND Z IS GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU REALLY GROW UP WITH THAT. AND AS AMERICANS WOULD CALL BEING STRAIGHT EDGED SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OR YOU DON'T HAVE CERTAIN PRIVILEGES AS OTHER PEOPLE WOULD HAVE. >> YOUR EXPERIENCE AS WELL. >> I GREW UP IN ARIZONA. CHILDHOOD. I PLAYED SPORTS, I WAS INVOLVED.

BUT, LIKE RAFAEL MENTIONED IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER WHEN ARIZONA HAD SOME VERY STRICT IMMIGRATION LAWS THEY WERE PASSING SO THAT HAPPENED DURING MY TEENAGE YEARS AND THAT IS WHEN IT KIND OF BROUGHT INTO LIGHT ALL THOSE ISSUES FOR ME, AND, THEN, WHICH IS THE REASON MY FAMILY MOVED TO NEW MEXICO, BUT ALSO THE REASON WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT DRIVING AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, THAT THOSE KIND OF THINGS PLAYED INTO THAT. >> THAT IS B1070, THAT IS THE LAW IN ARIZONA THAT ALLOWED LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ASK ANYONE TO SHOW THEIR PAPERS FOR LIVING IN U.S. >> RIGHT. >> CINDY, YOU HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED BY LOCAL MEDIA, BY NATIONAL MEDIA, INCLUDING THE WASHINGTON POST, ABOUT DACA, ABOUT YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO BE VISIBLY OUT THERE AND SPEAKING PUBLICLY? >> WELL, IT DEFINITELY DIDN'T HAPPEN THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE LIFE. I THINK THE FIRST INTERVIEW THAT I FINALLY DID WHERE I SHARED MY STORY WAS JUST IN 2015 AND THAT WAS WHEN I CAME COMPLETELY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT MY

STATUS WAS AND IT WAS WHEN I GOT INTERVIEWED BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TELL THE STORY OF MANY OF US. BECAUSE, I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH A STORY AS SUCH. AND, I FELT THAT I HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE THE STORY. I REPRESENT SO MUCH MORE THAN MYSELF. THE NOTION OF FEAR HAS ALWAYS LIVED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES. TO ME I WOULD NEVER IDENTIFY AS SAYING I HAVE BEEN UNAFRAID. THAT WOULD BE A COMPLETE LIE BECAUSE FEAR EXISTS AND HAS EXISTED REGARDLESS OF HAVING DACA OR NOT, BUT BEING INTERVIEWED AND BEING ON A NATIONAL STAGE OR A STATE-WIDE STAGE, IS DEFINITELY PUTTING OURSELVES OUT IN A VULNERABLE PLACE, BUT I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE WAY BEYOND JUST TELLING A STORY OF OURSELVES

TO BE EGOTISTICAL ABOUT IT. IT IS ABOUT THE BROADER PURPOSE OF REALLY CREATING CHANGE IN A UNIFIED FASHION AND NOT DOING IT IS JUST FOR THE SPOTLIGHT. >> THE IDEA THAT IMMIGRATION REFORM HAS NOT HAPPENED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, YOU HOPE PEOPLE HEAR YOUR STORY AND THEY WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR FUTURE IMMIGRATION POLICY? >> ABSOLUTELY. I FEEL THAT BY SHARING OUR VERY DIVERSE STORIES, THAT I HOPE THAT OTHERS CAN HEAR OUR VOICES THAT WE ARE ALL VERY DIFFERENT AND THAT WE COME FROM DISTINCTIVE BACKGROUNDS BUT SIMILAR STORIES WITH DIFFERENT PASSIONS, DIFFERENT MOTIVES. AND, YOU KNOW, OUR PLANS OF ACTION ARE SO DIVERSE BUT I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS GIVEN US OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT WE ARE ALL TRULY INTERESTED IN INHERENTLY GIVING BACK TO MAKING THE COUNTRY THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE THROUGH THE WORK THAT OUR ANCESTORS AND OUR GRANDFATHERS AND OUR FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY LAID THE

GROUNDWORK FOR. >> YOU DON'T REALLY CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE AN ACTIVIST UNTIL NOW. WHY ARE YOU SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE NOW? >> FOR ME I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND MY FIELD IS ENGINEERING, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE. IN THAT FIELD IT NEVER REALLY CAME UP, RIGHT? SO, MY INTEREST DIDN'T LIE IN THE POLICY WORK OR GOVERNMENT WORK. MINE WAS ALWAYS TECHNOLOGY. THAT IS WHAT I LIKED AND ENJOYED. WHEN I WENT TO UNM THAT IS WHAT I GOT INVOLVED IN. THERE WAS NEVER REALLY AN AVENUE FOR ME WITHIN THE NORMAL MOVEMENT TO EXPRESS MYSELF, TO REALLY FEEL -- I IDENTIFIED RIGHT WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE DOING, SO MY BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE IS VERY DIFFERENT. FOR THAT REASON, AND MY PERSPECTIVE. >> DO YOU FEEL LIKE A LOT OF COVERAGE OF DACA STUDENTS SO FAR HAS TREATED THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AS KIND OF HAVING ONE STORY, ALL BEING THE SAME? >> I THINK SO. AT LEAST FOR MYSELF AND MY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, MY BACKGROUND, MY INTERESTS AND STUFF, ARE REALLY COVERED AS BEING THE STEREOTYPICAL STUDENT AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT

THEY LIKE, WHAT THEY DO, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THINGS THEY ARE INTERESTED IN AND WHAT CAREERS GOALS ARE. FOR ME THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE THE CASE. >> RAFAEL, DACA WAS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA, SO IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM? >> SURE. SO, HAVING BEEN -- I STARTED COLLEGE IN 2004. THAT IS WHEN I STARTED MY UNDERGRADUATE YEAR AND SO IF WE GO BACK TO WHEN THE ORIGINAL DREAM ACT WAS INTRODUCED, THAT WAS THE VERY DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD AND I CALL IT A TRANSITION FROM GOING FROM THE SHADOWS INTO GOING OUTSIDE OF THOSE SHADOWS AND BEING MORE PUBLIC, RIGHT, SIMILAR TO THE STORIES THAT WE ARE HEARING HERE TODAY. AND, SO, WHAT HAS HAPPENED NOW, SINCE THAT PARTICULAR PERIOD OF THE DREAM ACT INTRODUCTION TO THIS TIME PERIOD HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW,

VISIBILITY, RIGHT? WE HAVE THE 2006 MARCHES WHERE PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED THE GIANT HAS AWOKEN AND OUT IN THE STREETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AS WELL AS OTHER LEGISLATION AND OTHER BILLS THAT HAVE PASSED THAT HAVE REALLY GAINED MOMENTUM FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. SO, NOW THAT WE FAST FORWARD INTO WHAT WE HAVE TO LOSE OR WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR IS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE RELEGATED BACK TO THOSE SHADOWS. THE CONSCIOUSNESS ELEMENT HAS BEEN CREATED AT THIS POINT THROUGH THE MOVEMENT BUT ALSO THROUGH EDUCATION, THROUGH GAINING JOBS, GAINING PROFESSIONALIZATION. HOW DO WE USE OUR SKILL SET TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE NOT RELEGATED BACK TO THOSE SHADOW POSITIONS, AND REALLY GOING INTO THE UPCOMING YEAR, THAT IS WHAT IS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, REALLY, CREATING THE SPACES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ALLIES ARE INFORMED AND EDUCATED ON HOW THEY CAN HELP UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS BUT HOW THEY CAN ALSO HELP UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT BEING

BROUGHT BACK TO THE POSITION OF BEING IN THE SHADOWS. >> CINDY, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, SAYING YOU WOULD NEVER SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT AFRAID. YOU THINK THE COMMUNITY IS AFRAID RIGHT NOW? IS THERE FEAR OUT THERE IN CONVERSATIONS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS? >> ABSOLUTELY I THINK THERE IS FEAR BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING NEW TO US, SARAH. WE HAVE LIVED IN FEAR. OUR FAMILIES HAVE LIVED IN FEAR. SO WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED CAREFUL LIVES. THAT IS WHAT I FELT LIKE, ALWAYS TRYING TO DO WHAT IS BEST, GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITIES. SO THAT IS NOTHING NEW TO THE COMMUNITIES AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE USING FEAR AS A RESOURCE. NOR PUTTING IT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS A STRATEGY TACTIC. RATHER WE SHOULD BE UNIFYING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE SHOULD BE EDUCATING OURSELVES AND INVESTING TIME TO STRATEGIZE AND COME UP WITH IDEAS OF WHAT THE NEXT STEP WILL BE, RATHER THAN INVESTING IN FEAR TACTICS, BECAUSE WE

DON'T WIN ANYTHING BY DOING THAT. FEAR HAS LIVED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES SO IT IS NOTHING NEW. SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE INVESTING THE TIME IN GETTING OUR FAMILIES INTO PANIC MODES, YOU KNOW. RATHER INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, WE SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND REALLY FORTIFYING AND GETTING RESOURCES AND MAXIMIZING ON THEM. >> IN ORDER FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM TO PASS AND FOR SAY THE PROTECTIONS UNDER DACA TO EXIST IN A BROADER LEGISLATION BEYOND AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELF CAN OFFER TO THE CONVERSATION LIKE MAKING SURE DANGEROUS PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING INTO THE COUNTRY, MAKING SURE THERE IS A PROCESS OF A LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO FOLLOW? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN OFFER TO THAT DISCUSSION, TO PEOPLE WHO MAY BE SKEPTICAL? >> ABSOLUTELY. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. SIMILARLY, I STUDY POLITICAL SCIENCE AND THERE WERE NOT MANY OF ME'S WITHIN MY CLASSES AND WITHIN MY PROGRAM. SO I ALWAYS FOUND MYSELF SORT

OF LONELY, BUT I AM DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, ABOUT POLICY. SO, I FOUND MYSELF VERY LONELY IN THOSE AREAS AS A DACA STUDENT, AS A DREAMER, WHATEVER WE IDENTIFY AS. BUT, IT HAS PROVIDED US, I THINK, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE DIVERSITY WITHIN US. SO, TO ME, I FEEL THAT EACH ONE OF US HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRENGTH AS BEING AN ENGINEER AND RAFAEL WITH ACADEMIA AND THE MANY OTHER DACA STUDENTS OUT THERE BECAUSE WE BRING IN DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, DIFFERENT BACKGROUND, AND I THINK WE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN HAVE A DIALOGUE. WE COULD SIT DOWN AND I THINK MANY OF US HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT WITH PEOPLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND PEOPLE WHO, PERHAPS, DON'T UNDERSTAND US BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER HAD ANYONE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION OR THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DACA STUDENT OR A DREAMER OR UNDOCUMENTED. SO I THINK IT IS OUR

RESPONSIBILITY TO EDUCATE THEM AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT JUST HERE TO GO AGAINST THE SYSTEM. BECAUSE, AT LEAST TO ME, THAT IS NOT HOW WE GET THINGS DONE. AND I THINK THAT WE ARE HERE TO BRING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND TO CONTRIBUTE ONCE AGAIN TO THE STATE, TO THE COUNTRY AND TO, YOU KNOW, TO THE FUTURE OF TOMORROW. SO I THINK WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF STRENGTH TO BRING IN. >> YOU STUDY AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE. HOW DO YOU PUT YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE WITHIN THAT? SO MUCH THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT. >> DEFINITELY. WITHIN THAT SCOPE, I VERY MUCH STUDY IMMIGRATION POLICY, IMMIGRATION STUDIES, AND SO FORTH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF OR MEDIA REPORTS, IS IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE STATISTICS OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE BEING DEPORTED FOR A SERIOUS CRIME, THE PERCENTAGE IS VERY LOW.

VERY EXTREMELY LOW. SO, IN TERMS OF THAT NARRATIVE THAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED AS IMMIGRANT THREAT, IT IS FALSIFYING INFORMATION AND AS EVERYBODY WHO IS SITTING HERE AT THE TABLE CAN TESTIFY TO THOSE THINGS, BUT NOT ONLY US WHO ARE SITTING IN THE TABLE, BUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THEY ARE HARD WORKING PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING RIGHT, SO TO SPEAK. AND, SO, HOW DO WE CREATE A SYSTEM THAT IS NOT DIVISIVE AGAINST PEOPLE LIKE THOSE, RIGHT, AS OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND THE WAY TO DO IT, I THINK, IS AGAIN GOING BACK TO THIS NOTION THAT WE ARE EDUCATED NOW. WE'RE PROFESSIONALS. SO, WE SHOULD HAVE A SEAT AT THAT TABLE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO POLITICIANS, TO ACADEMICS AND POLICYMAKERS AND SO FORTH TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITIES. SO, I THINK HAVING A SPOT IN THAT TABLE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS AND INFORM THE GREATER PUBLIC ON WHAT SHOULD BE THE RIGHT MOVES TO MAKE. >> WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES OF WHAT

POLICYMAKERS WOULD DO NEXT? >> GOING OFF WHAT CINDY AND BLUEPRINT, RIGHT? LOOKING AT ITS SUCCESSES AND EVERYTHING. HOW THE ECONOMY HAS BENEFITED, HOW ALL THE STUDENTS HAVE BENEFITED, HOW THEIR COMMUNITIES HAVE BENEFITED AND EXPANDING THAT PROGRAM TO AFFECT MORE PEOPLE. AND LIKE RAFAEL MENTIONED, REALIZING THAT A LOT OF STEREOTYPES OR NEGATIVES AREN'T NECESSARILY TRUE, AND THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE FOR FUTURE POLICY. >> YOU JUST RENEWED YOUR DACA PROTECTION. IF NOTHING CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THAT WOULD LAST UNTIL 2018. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NEXT FOR YOUR EDUCATIONAL GOALS? >> I AM APPLYING AT PH.D. PROGRAMS SO PURSUING PH.D. IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING HERE IN THE NEXT FALL. >> INTERESTING. CINDY, THERE HAS BEEN SOME TALK OF MAKING COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES IN NEW MEXICO SANCTUARIES WHERE THEY WOULD NOT COOPERATE WITH IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS. DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD MAKE STUDENTS FEEL SAFER? >> IT IS A GREAT WAY TO GO.

WE HAVE SEEN IT HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. >> AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO LA IN NOVEMBER FOR A GATHERING THAT WAS PUT ON BY THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT AND IT BROUGHT 119 DACA STUDENTS TOGETHER FROM ALL AGES, PROFESSIONALS, UNDERGRADS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE SAME IDEAS. AND A LOT OF THEM WERE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS, SO I THINK IT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO BE DONE. YOU KNOW, BRING A SENSE OF RELIEF FOR THE STUDENT BODY AND TO FEEL SUPPORTED BY OUR STATE AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AS A PRIMARY GATEWAY INTO WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE DONE FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT A LITTLE BIT. I AM PART OF THE FACULTY AT UNM THAT HAS CREATED THE LETTER THAT WE HAVE GIVEN PRESIDENT FRANK, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. ASKING HIM TO TURN UNM INTO A

SANCTUARY CAMPUS. AS YOU MENTIONED, ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT SAYING THAT UNM CAMPUS WOULD NOT COLLABORATE WITH DHS IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO APPREHEND STUDENTS, SO TO SPEAK, BUT MORE THAN THAT, WHAT WE ARE ARGUING WITH THIS LETTER THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT AND NOW JUST RECENTLY TO THE REGENTS, IS BASICALLY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THESE THINGS MATTER. IF UNM IS A PUBLIC CAMPUS AND MOST NEW MEXICO STATE INSTITUTIONS ARE PUBLIC CAMPUSES, AND THEIR MISSION AND GOAL IS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF ALL STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, THEN THE IDEA SHOULD BE THAT THIS LANGUAGE MATTERS TO STUDENTS SAYING THAT DAY AFTER TOMORROW THEY COULD FEEL SAFE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ALSO, FOR PARENTS TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE LEAVE HOME EVERYDAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK WITHOUT ANY FEAR, SO TO SPEAK. >> WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK AND SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND THOUGHTS. >> WE ARE BACK AT THE TABLE

WITH OUR SPECIAL PANEL OF LOCAL JOURNALISTS WHO ARE HELPING US COUNT DOWN THE TOP STORIES OF 2016. STORY NO. 6, IS THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM KNOW AS SNAP. ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD SURFACED IN MAY AFTER A GROUP OF CURRENT AND FORMER STATE WORKERS TESTIFIED IN FEDERAL INSTRUCTED TO FALSIFY APPLICATIONS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM QUALIFYING FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO CLEAR UP BACKLOGS OF APPLICATIONS. JULIE ANN GRIMM, IN JULY A JUDGE RECOMMENDED A SPECIAL MASTER BE APPOINTED TO THAT PROGRAM. WHERE DO WE SIT NOW WITH THIS PROGRAM AFTER 2016? ARE WE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I THINK THERE IS STILL SOME QUESTION ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE THIS NEW LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT WILL BE. >> THERE IS STILL SOME SERIOUS QUESTION ABOUT THE ROOT OF WHY THIS HAPPENED. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ROGUE EMPLOYEES? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A SYSTEM WHERE THERE WAS A QUOTA IN PLACE THAT WAS UNREASONABLE? WAS THIS A DIRECTION FROM ABOVE TO DELIBERATELY MISLEAD AND SCREW PEOPLE OVER?

I DON'T THINK WE REALLY HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER ABOUT THAT. THEY ARE GOING TO GET BACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF IT OTHER THAN MAYBE BEING HONEST AND TRYING HARD. >> TRANSPARENCY AND GETTING RIGHT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, EXACTLY RIGHT. >> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, OVERLAYING ALL OF THIS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS SECTION, IS THE RECENT REPORTING WHERE CHILD NUMBERS ARE FOR OUR KIDS IN CHILDHOOD HUNGER. SPECIFICALLY. THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS WE GET FEEDBACK HERE AT NEW MEXICO INFOCUS A LOT. HOW CAN THE STATE BE SO INSENSITIVE, GIVEN THE NEED WE HAVE. >> WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING OUR POVERTY. THE MIDDLE CLASS. WE ARE ONE OF THE POOREST STATES IN THE COUNTRY. 900,000 PEOPLE IN THIS PROGRAM THAT HAVE TO BE ON IT. SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION WE SEE THAT IS AN ATTEMPT BY STATE WORKERS TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT AND GET PEOPLE OFF OF THIS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GETTING THEM ON. THAT IS ALWAYS THE ISSUE. NO POLITICIAN THAT I HAVE SEEN

-- I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY LEADERSHIP ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PARTY FINALLY ADDRESSING POVERTY. POVERTY LIKE ROBERT KENNEDY TALKED ABOUT AND THIS IS GROUND ZERO FOR US. SOMEBODY COULD TAKE THIS AND SAY, GRAB THIS AND SAY, THIS IS ISSUE THAT HITS MY CORE. THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON FOOD STAMPS. WE GOT TO GET THEM OFF, NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT, BECAUSE WE WANT THEM NOT TO GO HUNGARY. BOTTOM LINE. >> WELL SAID. >> YOU KNOW, STEVE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE NUMBERS INVOLVED HERE, WHERE YOU GO UNDER AND DON'T GET SNAP OR IF YOU'RE OVER YOU DO QUALIFY. IT IS A FRIGHTENINGLY LOW NUMBER. IT IS A REMINDER THAT FOLKS REALLY NEED THIS PROGRAM. IF YOU'RE MAKING $1000 A MONTH, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM SOMEONE THAT REALLY HAS THAT LITTLE INCOME, JUST SO GALLING FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. >> IT REALLY IS AND HOPEFULLY THE TRANSPARENCY, THE BEING THE BEST DISINFECTANT SUPPOSEDLY WILL SHINE A LIGHT ON THIS, BUT RUSS IS RIGHT,

THE FACT IS EVERYBODY RUNNING FOR OFFICE SAYS, I AM A FIGHTER FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THAT IS GREAT. BUT, YEAH, WHO IS GOING TO BE A FIGHTER FOR THE UNDER CLASS? AND YOU DON'T SEE ANYBODY COMING FORWARD ON THAT. >> GOOD POINT. CAN YOU WIN ELECTIONS BY TAKING THAT TACT? I GOT A ASK. >> THE SAD PART IS, THE POOR DON'T VOTE THAT MUCH. THERE IS A SONG I CALL THE POOR DON'T VOTE, BUT THAT IS WHY THEY ARE FIGHTERS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKS FOR THE UPPER CLASS, REALLY. >> EXACTLY. THE SNAP PROGRAM, GOING BACK TO THAT, IF -- TO JULIE ANN'S QUESTION. YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT IS SYSTEMIC, ON ORDER, ROGUE EMPLOYEES, I THINK THAT IS ACTUALLY KIND OF A BIG DEAL. IF IT TURNS OUT THIS IS A CULTURE INSIDE THIS WHOLE PROGRAM, THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH, RATHER THAN JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE PRESSURED FOR A DEADLINE.

>> I INTERVIEWED THE FIRST WHISTLE BLOWER AND WENT TO THE TRIAL IN LAS CRUCES AND THE WHISTLE BLOWER AND SO MANY WAS DEFINITELY COMING DOWN FROM THE TOP. THERE WAS EVEN A SUPERVISOR WHO TESTIFIED THAT HER ORDERS WERE COMING FROM THE TOP AND SHE WAS PASSING THEM ALONG TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED FOR HER. SO, THE IMPRESSION THAT I GOT FROM ATTENDING THE TRIAL WAS THIS WAS A WIDESPREAD SYSTEMIC ISSUE. THE JUDGE ORDERED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION BY HSD. HSD DIDN'T COMPLETE IT BY THE TIME THEY HAD THE HEARING, THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. AND, SO, I DON'T THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE SEEN -- IT IS SURPRISING TO ME WE HAVEN'T SEEN MORE THAN JUST A SPECIAL MASTER BEING APPOINTED TO HSD WITH THESE KIND OF ALLEGATIONS FLOATING AROUND. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER TOO, THE FUNDS THEY ARE ADMINISTERING ARE FEDERAL FUNDS.

THEY ARE NOT STATE MONIES. SO, THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF THE ACCURATE ADMINISTRATION OF FEDERAL MONEY TO THE HUNGRY PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO. >> IT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT. GLAD YOU GOT THAT? >> ANOTHER ISSUE AT PLAY, IS THAT WE SEE AGAIN THE MARTINEZ ADMINISTRATION HAS HIRED AN EXPENSIVE OUTSIDE ATTORNEY. PAUL KENNEDY IS BEING PAID YOUR TAX DOLLARS AND MINE TO DEFEND HSD WHEN IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS WAS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. WHY THE ADMINISTRATION IS FIGHTING IT, YOU KNOW, WITH DOLLARS IN THAT ARENA RATHER THAN FIGHTING IT WITH DOLLARS THAT WOULD REALLY GO TOWARDS HELPING POOR NEW MEXICANS BAFFLES ME. >> IT'S ALMOST BEEN POLITICIZED SO MUCH THAT, AGAIN, NO ONE CAN STEP FORWARD, LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER, AND TAKE THE LEADERSHIP AND SAY, OKAY, THIS DEPARTMENT IS ON MY WATCH. THIS WAS MY FAULT. I NEED -- LIKE A COACH. >> EXACTLY, YEAH. >> NO ONE STEPPED FORWARD. >> WE HAVE TO FIX THIS UP NEXT SEASON. DEMOCRATS WILL SAY, WE'LL

ATTACK THE MARTINEZ ADMINISTRATION FOR DOING THIS BUT THEN THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE PLAN. HOW CAN WE FIX THIS; NOT JUST FIX THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM BUT MAKE PEOPLE SUSTAINABLE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BE ON THE PROGRAM AND THEY ARE NOT GOING HUNGRY. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T HEARD. >> I WANT TO JUMP IN AND SAY, TOO, PEOPLE WERE REPORTING THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD SPAN BACK AS MUCH AS 20 YEARS AND THERE WAS EVEN IN THE TRIAL THIS JULY, THEY WERE SAYING THEY UNCOVERED A CASE FROM EARLIER THAT WEEK. SO, THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND THAT STILL HADN'T BEEN ADDRESSED AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING AND THAT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE NOT GETTING FOOD STAMPS, REALLY, THESE ARE EMERGENCY FOOD STAMP APPLICATIONS. YOU REALLY ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN EXTREME NEED IN THAT MOMENT AND NEED FOOD STAMPS THAT WEEK. >> THIS IS A REMINDER, HOW MUCH MONEY WAS INVOLVED, NOT IN A TOTAL SENSE, BUT THE NUMBER $300 IS STUCK IN MY HEAD FOR SOME REASON. >> I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT THE CUTOFF WAS, BUT I DID SPEAK TO A WOMAN WHO APPLIED FOR FOOD STAMPS AND THROUGH RECORDS, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT HER APPLICATION HAD BEEN ALTERED BY HSD.

WE SAW AN ALTERED APPLICATION AND SHE IS, FOR INSTANCE, SHE IS SOMEBODY WHO DOES WORK. SHE WORKS RIGHT NOW. SHE HAS A HOUSE. BUT SHE JUST REALLY NEEDED THAT MONEY THAT WEEK TO GET FOOD FOR HER AND HER FAMILY. >> PICK UP ON WHAT RUSSELL AND STEVE TALKED ABOUT, THIS IDEA OF GETTING POVERTY AND HUNGER JUST MORE IN THE FOREFRONT ABOUT HOW WE TALK ABOUT OURSELVES HERE. WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION THAT IF YOU TAKE JUST THE RURAL PARTS OF NEW MEXICO, WE ARE THE POOREST STATE IN THE NATION, AS FAR AS RURAL FOLKS ARE CONCERNED. SOMEONE HAS TO STEP UP AND SAY, WE NEED TO GET AFTER THIS. IT IS ON ALL OF TO US GET AFTER THIS. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DO THAT TO MAKE IT MOVE FASTER? >> WE HAVE SEEN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A BROAD PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO, WE SEE THE DEHUMANIZING OF THE PROBLEM A LITTLE BIT. WE DON'T SEE THE PEOPLE WHO MAYBE TEMPORARILY NEED SOME HELP OR WHO ARE IN REALLY BAD SITUATIONS OR THE KIDS WHO ARE MOSTLY GETTING MEALS AT SCHOOL AND NOT ABLE TO EAT AT MOME. WE REALLY HAVE TAKEN THE FACE OFF OF WHAT HUNGER IS IN NEW MEXICO.

I THINK THERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A LOT OF WORK BY THE FAITH COMMUNITIES IN NEW MEXICO WHO ARE SAYING, LISTEN, WHEN THE STATE DOES NOT ADMINISTER FOOD STAMPS PROGRAMS OR SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, IT FALLS ON OUR CHURCHES TO FEED PEOPLE. AND SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE HELP THEY NEED, YOU'RE ASKING US TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING ASPECT OF THIS WHOLE STORY. >> GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT. JULIE ANN, WHERE DO WE FIT IN THIS, THE GENERAL PRESS, ABOUT THE IDEA OF GETTING WHAT RUSSELL MENTIONED, GETTING POVERTY AND HUNGER OUT THERE. IT IS NOT AS IF THERE IS A LACK OF THESE STORIES. COULD WE BE DOING MORE? SOMETHING DIFFERENT WE COULD BE DOING? >> I LIKE THE IDEA YOU JUST BROUGHT UP, MARISA, ABOUT THE FACES, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE DO GET INTO THIS HABIT OF JOURNALISTS WHERE WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON THE POLICIES, THE COURTROOM, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS THAT WE DO -- THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY AFFECTED BECOME LESS OF A PART MAYBE OF OUR COLLECTIVE

CONSCIOUSNESS. SO I THINK THAT IS ONE WAY WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT THIS. BUT, I THINK THAT MUCH AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, AND THE CORRECTIONS ISSUE, ARE SO ENTWINED, THAT THE POVERTY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE SO INTERCONNECTED. SO IF WE, AS A COMMUNITY, FAIL TO ADDRESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP SOME PEOPLE RISE OUT OF THE LOWEST RANK OF THE ECONOMIC CLASS. >> YOU KNOW, RUSSELL TO FINISH THIS SECTION. YOU BROUGHT THIS UP AND I LOVE IT, THE IDEA OF TALKING ABOUT POVERTY, THE IDEA THAT MAYBE IF WE ARE MORE VOCAL AND UPFRONT ABOUT OUR EFFORTS, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN WHOLE. PEOPLE SEE WE ARE PUTTING A GOOD 20, 30 YEAR EFFORT INTO SOMETHING, LIKE -- >> RIGHT. >> BECAUSE, SOMETIMES WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO EMBARRASS OURSELVES AND HURT CHANCES TO BRING BUSINESS. IT IS VERY -- IN A LOT OF

FOLKS, POLICYMAKERS FEEL LIKE IF WE DISCUSS OUR POVERTY AND ARE HONEST ABOUT IT, THE FACEBOOKS AND THE TWITTERS WON'T COME HERE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT. IF YOU'RE HONEST AND PUT IT OUT THERE AND YOU HAVE VOICES OF THE POOR IN OUR STORIES, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE THEY ARE POOR. IF IT IS THE NORM IN YOUR VILLAGE OR CITY, YOU'RE NOT THINKING IT IS DIFFERENT. YOU THINK THIS IS THE WAY WE LIVE AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN SANTA FE OR PLACITAS, LIVE DIFFERENTL WE NEED P T FE THERE AND BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT OUR CHALLENGEE. WE TALA EA BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE STARTS NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDR ALWAYS SENDS THE PRESS RELEASE RIGHT WHEN THE LEGISLATURE STARTS TO SAY THIS IS OUR CHILD WELLBEING PROBLEM. WE KNOW THAT. IT IS TIME TO PUT FACES TO IT. >> THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK. I AM GENE GRANT, THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS THIS WEEK. WE'LL DISCUSS THE TOP FIVE NEWS STORIES NEXT WEEK. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND

ENGAGED. FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO INFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND THE NELITTA E. WALKER FUND FOR KNME-TV, KNME-TV ENDOWMENT