Jonathan Ibarra
@ibarraesq.bsky.social
Public Defender supervisor in ABQ. Some policy stuff on the side. Dad is my most important job. Usual disclaimers about not speaking for anyone else.
Another opportunity to be able to talk bail reform and the problems with the President’s order.
nmpoliticalreport.com/2025/09/10/n...
nmpoliticalreport.com/2025/09/10/n...
New Mexico Republicans applaud, Democrats denounce Trump's bail order - New Mexico Political Report
The growing push by Republicans to roll back limits on when courts can require criminal suspects to pay to get out of jail while awaiting trial could put New Mexico on a collision course with the fede...
nmpoliticalreport.com
September 11, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Another opportunity to be able to talk bail reform and the problems with the President’s order.
nmpoliticalreport.com/2025/09/10/n...
nmpoliticalreport.com/2025/09/10/n...
My first post in a while. Might as well be about being interviewed (along with experts I mentioned to the author) about the President’s attempt to undo bail reform, and the viability in New Mexico.
sourcenm.com/2025/09/02/n...
sourcenm.com/2025/09/02/n...
New Mexico wrote bail reform into its Constitution nearly a decade ago. Can Trump reverse it? • Source New Mexico
Experts say cash bail disproportionately holds poor people and people of color in jail; and most on pretrial release don’t reoffend.
sourcenm.com
September 2, 2025 at 10:42 PM
My first post in a while. Might as well be about being interviewed (along with experts I mentioned to the author) about the President’s attempt to undo bail reform, and the viability in New Mexico.
sourcenm.com/2025/09/02/n...
sourcenm.com/2025/09/02/n...
Absolutely true. It’s so hard to fight gut feelings (pushed by round the clock news coverage) about bad crime with dry things like data. Facts should matter but, alas, often don’t.
Double digit drops in crimes like murder, robbery, and sex offenses (-9.9% for that last one, but we can round).
There should be dozens of breathless above-the-fold articles on “OMG! What is Going Right? Why Do We See Such Improvement?!”
But that isn’t what we will see.
There should be dozens of breathless above-the-fold articles on “OMG! What is Going Right? Why Do We See Such Improvement?!”
But that isn’t what we will see.
Crime dropped in 2024. How much? Record-breaking amounts in several categories. www.norc.org/research/lib...
January 17, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Absolutely true. It’s so hard to fight gut feelings (pushed by round the clock news coverage) about bad crime with dry things like data. Facts should matter but, alas, often don’t.
Nice work by my friend and colleague. I’m hopeful that in our upcoming session, the legislators continue to look critically at the Governor’s agenda, seeing that jail doesn’t solve problems like this.
"Treatment courts’ success in reducing recidivism points us to their best practices cautioning against “the misapplication of high-magnitude sanctions, especially jail detention” to avoid serious negative side effects"
www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_v...
www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_v...
January 12, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Nice work by my friend and colleague. I’m hopeful that in our upcoming session, the legislators continue to look critically at the Governor’s agenda, seeing that jail doesn’t solve problems like this.
Same. I didn’t think I’d agree with it, but the President is right that this was a nakedly political prosecution. It should have resolved with the original plea agreement. So this doesn’t hurt my feelings.
Now, as other have commented, let’s get to some other pardons and commutations.
Now, as other have commented, let’s get to some other pardons and commutations.
i’m more ok with this than i would have thought i’d be. (that make sense?)
Ahhh as expected, President Biden has granted a full pardon to his son for a specific time period in order to protect him from future prosecution.
December 2, 2024 at 4:05 AM
Same. I didn’t think I’d agree with it, but the President is right that this was a nakedly political prosecution. It should have resolved with the original plea agreement. So this doesn’t hurt my feelings.
Now, as other have commented, let’s get to some other pardons and commutations.
Now, as other have commented, let’s get to some other pardons and commutations.
Kathryn makes a really good point in this thread. While I know my colleagues who are women and/or people of color are just as able to speak eloquently and passionately as I am, they would be (are) treated much differently. And that could (likely does) make them less likely to speak up.
Of course, of the people who do want to fuck with people for no reason, a lot of them lie to themselves and say there IS a reason — that their actions are justified because the person is trans or queer or black or female or indigenous or disabled and is getting … whatever they say for “uppity” now
November 30, 2024 at 1:03 AM
Kathryn makes a really good point in this thread. While I know my colleagues who are women and/or people of color are just as able to speak eloquently and passionately as I am, they would be (are) treated much differently. And that could (likely does) make them less likely to speak up.
Somehow I think not all of my new followers are completely legit. Many are, and I’ve followed a lot back. But some… I suspect not.
November 29, 2024 at 11:58 PM
Somehow I think not all of my new followers are completely legit. Many are, and I’ve followed a lot back. But some… I suspect not.
Reposted by Jonathan Ibarra
$6.2 million for a banana duct-taped to a wall, or…?
A thread on what good that money could instead support.
A thread on what good that money could instead support.
November 24, 2024 at 6:49 PM
$6.2 million for a banana duct-taped to a wall, or…?
A thread on what good that money could instead support.
A thread on what good that money could instead support.
Reposted by Jonathan Ibarra
Whenever you hear politicians, police, or prosecutors touting an individuals "extensive criminal record" as a call for even greater harshness, take a beat.
An extensive prior record only underscores the failure of arrest, prosecution, jail, & prison as a public health & safety “solution.”
An extensive prior record only underscores the failure of arrest, prosecution, jail, & prison as a public health & safety “solution.”
November 25, 2024 at 3:01 AM
Whenever you hear politicians, police, or prosecutors touting an individuals "extensive criminal record" as a call for even greater harshness, take a beat.
An extensive prior record only underscores the failure of arrest, prosecution, jail, & prison as a public health & safety “solution.”
An extensive prior record only underscores the failure of arrest, prosecution, jail, & prison as a public health & safety “solution.”
Reposted by Jonathan Ibarra
No one should profit from stripping someone of their liberty
New Mexico needs to do the exact opposite of Texas by refusing to house anyone who is part of mass-deportations efforts.
ICE/CDP is currently housing people at private prisons in Grants, Santa Rosa, and Clayton.
New Mexico needs to do the exact opposite of Texas by refusing to house anyone who is part of mass-deportations efforts.
ICE/CDP is currently housing people at private prisons in Grants, Santa Rosa, and Clayton.
There you have it. Texas is the first state to officially offer up their state for the concentration camps
November 24, 2024 at 10:38 AM
No one should profit from stripping someone of their liberty
New Mexico needs to do the exact opposite of Texas by refusing to house anyone who is part of mass-deportations efforts.
ICE/CDP is currently housing people at private prisons in Grants, Santa Rosa, and Clayton.
New Mexico needs to do the exact opposite of Texas by refusing to house anyone who is part of mass-deportations efforts.
ICE/CDP is currently housing people at private prisons in Grants, Santa Rosa, and Clayton.
The fact that I know this kind of thing happens regularly doesn’t make me any less angry when I see something like this.
While I was on parole, a cop tried to force me into giving up the names of three drug dealers in exchange for not taking me to jail on bogus charges.
A thread.
A thread.
November 23, 2024 at 1:19 AM
The fact that I know this kind of thing happens regularly doesn’t make me any less angry when I see something like this.
Emily is, of course, 100% correct. Pass the info along to those who need it.
Reminder: anyone, regardless of citizenship, has the right to remain silent if approached by law enforcement.
And...
And...
Tom Homan makes clear that he's prepared to more or less go to war with cities that resist federal mass deportations
November 21, 2024 at 2:14 AM
Emily is, of course, 100% correct. Pass the info along to those who need it.
An excellent, if disheartening, post about immigration issues. Definitely worth getting out to people here in NM - though a blue state (maybe BECAUSE a blue state), fed enforcement will likely pick up significantly.
1/ HOW TO TRIAGE AN IMMIGRATION EMERGENCY
As someone who has been defending non-citizens in deportation proceedings since 2006, I am here to tell you that we know exactly who Trump's top targets will be, & how we can try to protect them NOW.
NOT LEGAL ADVICE but here's what we know about priorities
As someone who has been defending non-citizens in deportation proceedings since 2006, I am here to tell you that we know exactly who Trump's top targets will be, & how we can try to protect them NOW.
NOT LEGAL ADVICE but here's what we know about priorities
November 20, 2024 at 6:35 PM
An excellent, if disheartening, post about immigration issues. Definitely worth getting out to people here in NM - though a blue state (maybe BECAUSE a blue state), fed enforcement will likely pick up significantly.
Seriously, what is going on there? So many of our clients have died there. Going to jail isn’t supposed to be a death sentence. And yet, for too many, it has been. 😥
A man died at the Albuquerque jail Thursday after being dropped off by police.
30 people have died at the jail since 2020.
www.abqjournal.com/news/man-die...
30 people have died at the jail since 2020.
www.abqjournal.com/news/man-die...
Man dies in intake area of Bernalillo jail after being arrested by Albuquerque police
A man died in the intake area of the Metropolitan Detention Center on Thursday afternoon after being brought there by Albuquerque police.
www.abqjournal.com
November 16, 2024 at 2:23 AM
Seriously, what is going on there? So many of our clients have died there. Going to jail isn’t supposed to be a death sentence. And yet, for too many, it has been. 😥
Reposted by Jonathan Ibarra
Pretty horrifying that juvenile contract public defenders in New Mexico make the equivalent of 79 cents per hour...
Contract attorneys handle 34% of the state’s public defense cases, while working for rock-bottom wages due to low flat fees
www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...
Contract attorneys handle 34% of the state’s public defense cases, while working for rock-bottom wages due to low flat fees
www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...
Public defense office proposes new compensation system for contract attorneys
Contract public defense attorneys earn less than minimum wage on certain types of cases under flat rate fee structure, according to report.
www.santafenewmexican.com
November 15, 2024 at 1:59 AM
Pretty horrifying that juvenile contract public defenders in New Mexico make the equivalent of 79 cents per hour...
Contract attorneys handle 34% of the state’s public defense cases, while working for rock-bottom wages due to low flat fees
www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...
Contract attorneys handle 34% of the state’s public defense cases, while working for rock-bottom wages due to low flat fees
www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...
Too bad I was so busy today. Missed all the news as it was happening and, perhaps more importantly, all the smack talk as it was happening. I’ll be busy tomorrow too, so hopefully Dr. Phil doesn’t get his nom for HHS while I’m not able to react. 🙄
November 14, 2024 at 4:29 AM
Too bad I was so busy today. Missed all the news as it was happening and, perhaps more importantly, all the smack talk as it was happening. I’ll be busy tomorrow too, so hopefully Dr. Phil doesn’t get his nom for HHS while I’m not able to react. 🙄
What a mess. Here in NM, the State PD is working on hourly rates instead of (ridiculously low) flat fees for our contract attorneys. The increase in funding it would take might make the Legis uncomfortable. But would they be comfortable w their loved ones being repped on a 1st deg felony for <$1K?
This year, Idaho shifted to a statewide public defender system. They set a hourly rate of $100 for contract counsel. For some, this was a raise, but for others, there pay was cut. Now, attorneys have withdrawn from 1.5k cases, leaving those people w/o counsel.
cdapress.com/news/2024/no...
cdapress.com/news/2024/no...
Kootenai County faces public defender shortage
In the month since Idaho’s new public defense system went into effect, some indigent defendants in Kootenai County have appeared in court with no specific public defender to represent them.
cdapress.com
November 14, 2024 at 3:54 AM
What a mess. Here in NM, the State PD is working on hourly rates instead of (ridiculously low) flat fees for our contract attorneys. The increase in funding it would take might make the Legis uncomfortable. But would they be comfortable w their loved ones being repped on a 1st deg felony for <$1K?
And, of course, just the allegations keep our clients down. A few days in jail? Lost jobs, housing, maybe even kids.
Never ceases to amaze me that people in power get to keep running for President and lead major cities while under indictment, facing serious allegations, or even convicted when the people I represented as a public defender would get suspended from jobs for marijuana arrests.
November 13, 2024 at 3:27 AM
And, of course, just the allegations keep our clients down. A few days in jail? Lost jobs, housing, maybe even kids.
Part of a good thread by an amazing advocate. But especially want to talk about this. Public defense is so desperately underfunded everywhere. Here in NM we’ve made gains, but we still get paid soooo much less than prosecutors, which is just ridiculous.
And follow Emily - she’s awesome.
And follow Emily - she’s awesome.
Additionally, you have PUBLIC DEFENDERS. We are almost always left out of these policy conversations, but we shouldn't be. You know why? Because EVERY ONE OF THESE ISSUES trickles into our hands eventually.
November 11, 2024 at 11:43 PM
Part of a good thread by an amazing advocate. But especially want to talk about this. Public defense is so desperately underfunded everywhere. Here in NM we’ve made gains, but we still get paid soooo much less than prosecutors, which is just ridiculous.
And follow Emily - she’s awesome.
And follow Emily - she’s awesome.
Not that I ever posted tons in the bad place, but I always felt like when I did people who I wanted to see it might. Then I came here but have been mostly quiet, but never really kept up posting there either. So I’ve just been quiet. That sucks. So I’ll try to post more here.
November 9, 2024 at 4:34 AM
Not that I ever posted tons in the bad place, but I always felt like when I did people who I wanted to see it might. Then I came here but have been mostly quiet, but never really kept up posting there either. So I’ve just been quiet. That sucks. So I’ll try to post more here.
Reposted by Jonathan Ibarra
As long as you are not incarcerated in New Mexico felons can vote 🗳
In July 2023 NM restored voting rights to people with felonies, including those who are still on probation or parole.
In 2024, more than 900 people were wrongfully barred from registering to vote
sourcenm.com/2024/11/04/d...
In July 2023 NM restored voting rights to people with felonies, including those who are still on probation or parole.
In 2024, more than 900 people were wrongfully barred from registering to vote
sourcenm.com/2024/11/04/d...
Despite wrongful denials, New Mexico veteran who completed his sentence for a felony finally votes • Source New Mexico
About 900 New Mexicans with past felony convictions were wrongfully denied voter registration even though a new law guaranteed it to them.
sourcenm.com
November 5, 2024 at 2:36 PM
As long as you are not incarcerated in New Mexico felons can vote 🗳
In July 2023 NM restored voting rights to people with felonies, including those who are still on probation or parole.
In 2024, more than 900 people were wrongfully barred from registering to vote
sourcenm.com/2024/11/04/d...
In July 2023 NM restored voting rights to people with felonies, including those who are still on probation or parole.
In 2024, more than 900 people were wrongfully barred from registering to vote
sourcenm.com/2024/11/04/d...
After the final out, my middle kid (13F) jumped into my arms for a big hug. Between the Dodgers win and the joyous reaction from my kid, I don’t know that I could have felt any better than I did in that moment. That was amazing.
October 31, 2024 at 5:12 AM
After the final out, my middle kid (13F) jumped into my arms for a big hug. Between the Dodgers win and the joyous reaction from my kid, I don’t know that I could have felt any better than I did in that moment. That was amazing.
I know this comes from the bad place, but this interview w the prosecutor who resigned due to the discovery violations that shortly after led to dismissal is very good. I always liked this attorney, and I like her even more now.
x.com/chriscuomo/s...
x.com/chriscuomo/s...
x.com
x.com
July 13, 2024 at 3:38 AM
I know this comes from the bad place, but this interview w the prosecutor who resigned due to the discovery violations that shortly after led to dismissal is very good. I always liked this attorney, and I like her even more now.
x.com/chriscuomo/s...
x.com/chriscuomo/s...
Judge in Alec Baldwin case dismisses the case with prejudice during trial for discovery violations.
July 12, 2024 at 10:09 PM
Judge in Alec Baldwin case dismisses the case with prejudice during trial for discovery violations.
Totally agree. Even when clients have been really mad they stand. I wonder if I would have ordered a defendant to do that when I was a judge. I think I might have done what this judge is doing and let the jury see that misbehavior. But maybe not - I might feel like I need to require compliance. Hmmm
I completely concur with Renato Martiotti's observation that it is virtually unheard for a defendant not to stand and face the jurors as the enter and leave the courtroom. Everyone else, including Trump's lawyers, stands respectfully.
This contempt for the court & jury will likely be noticed.
This contempt for the court & jury will likely be noticed.
April 19, 2024 at 4:27 PM
Totally agree. Even when clients have been really mad they stand. I wonder if I would have ordered a defendant to do that when I was a judge. I think I might have done what this judge is doing and let the jury see that misbehavior. But maybe not - I might feel like I need to require compliance. Hmmm