Month: February 2017

It’s been exactly one year since Pope Francis’ historic visit to Ciudad Juarez and today the community celebrated the anniversary with an unveiling of a statue of the pontiff. Hundreds watched as the bishop and clergymen took to the alter Pope Francis stood before a year ago. The skies were filled with music from local

An employee at El Dorado High School has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of inappropriate conduct, confirmed Socorro Independent School District officials Friday. A message was sent out to parents about the investigation. The transcript reads as follows: “Hi, this is Cynthia Retana, Principal of El Dorado High School. I am calling to

Concert organizers Friday added four additional Garth Brooks shows in Las Cruces. The country music icon was originally scheduled to perform Friday April 7th. Demand was so high, organizers added 3pm and 8pm shows Saturday April 8th and Sunday April 9th. “It’s obviously the biggest show we’ve ever done. Ticket sales wise, it’s expected to

The El Paso Zoological Society (EPZS) invites the public to watch adventurous “edgers” rappel from new heights – 12 stories and nearly 200 feet down – as they go Over the Edge & Into the Fun for the El Paso Zoo from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, February 18. ABC-7 at Noon anchor

In the wake of ICE operations around the country, local immigration attorneys are advising undocumented immigrants to be prepared in the event of a deportation. El Paso immigration attorney, Iliana Holguin, tells ABC-7 she has advised her clients to become aware of their status and know their rights, if they were deported. Holguin says there’s

U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke and county leaders said Friday they were encouraged by their meeting with the special agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations and ICE’s deputy director of enforcement and removal operations. Earlier this month, ICE agents arrested a transgender woman, a convicted criminal in the country illegally, after she filed a protective

Hundreds of people in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez have gathered on the edge of the Rio Grande river to form a “human wall” to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for a wall between the countries. The demonstrators held aloft on Friday colorful swatches of cloth and waved to the residents of

Myriam Fernandez, the woman involved in a crash with a man allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident, has died. The 35-year-old Fernandez succumbed to her injuries February 15, 2017, police said. Manuel Watkins, 23, is charged with “Intoxication Assault with a Vehicle Causing Serious Bodily Injury.” Police have not said if Watkins will face

As the saying goes, a third time’s the charm, and that is what El Pasoan Jennifer Han is aiming to do Friday night. Han will face Olivia Gerula to defend her IBF Women’s World Featherweight Championship for a third straight time at the Don Haskins Center. Gerula isn’t new to the spotlight though as she

An alleged robber threatened a store employee with a syringe, telling her the red liquid it contained was disease tainted blood. Juan Reynaldo Bernal, 49, is charged with Aggravated Robbery after he allegedly stole $200, a complaint affidavit obtained by ABC-7 states. On December 18, 2016, Bernal walked into Sally Beauty Supply store located at

More than 2,000 Las Cruces Public Schools students missed class Thursday, February 16, 2017, the same day many immigrants and activists in New Mexico decided to skip school and work to protest President Trump’s immigration policies. LCPS officials said 919 elementary students missed school. They tell ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom they were surprised at

The U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested a man wanted in connection with a shooting in the Northwest El Paso County colonia of Westway. The shooting happened on the 800 block of Westway on February 11, 2017. Christopher Gonzalez, 26, was recently arrested at a hotel located 2100 block of Summit Court in

The NBA is warning Texas over a proposed “bathroom bill” targeting transgender people that is similar to a North Carolina law that prompted the league to move the All-Star Game out of that state. The NBA on Friday joined the NFL in suggesting that Texas will be overlooked for future big events if lawmakers pass

A Dallas teacher fired when her past as a pornographic actress was exposed on social media says she was a teenage victim of “sex slavery” and that she wants her teaching job back. The Dallas Morning News reports that Resa Woodward was dismissed Dec. 13 from her job at Balch Springs Middle School. The dismissal

The Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office says the actions of a Las Cruces Police officer who shot and killed a knife-wielding man at the Solano Square shopping center were justified. The January 24, 2017 shooting resulted in the death of 29-year-old Jeremy Lopez-Robledo, armed with a folding knife. Robledo was wanted by the U.S. Marshal’s

New Mexico’s Catholic Bishops say a Trump administration proposal to use National Guard troops to round up immigrants would be a “declaration of some form of war.” Allen Sanchez, executive director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Friday the Roman Catholic Church in the nation’s most Hispanic state would strongly oppose any

The Trump administration considered a proposal to mobilize as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorized immigrants, including millions living nowhere near the Mexico border, according to a draft memo obtained by The Associated Press. Staffers in the Department of Homeland Security said the proposal had been discussed as recently as last

Concert organizers have added a fifth Garth Brooks show in Las Cruces. The country music icon is now scheduled to perform Friday April 7th, Saturday April 8th and Sunday April 9th. Organizers added a matinee performance at 3pm Saturday April 8th and at 3pm Sunday April 9th. The shows will be Brooks’ only performances in

A year ago Friday, the Borderland was in a frenzy over the visit of Pope Francis. Thousands gathered as he made a day-long visit to Juarez as part of longer visit to Mexico. To mark the historic event, a 20-foot statue will be unveiled Friday afternoon at the same spot, know as El Punto, where

Overnight Closures: I-10 west will be closed at Hawkins I-10 East closed at Redd. I-10 East Resler on ramp to I-10 will be closed Closure on US54 from I-10 west to US-54. Alternate lane closures on Mesa from Sunland Park to Sunbowl Dr. Eastbound and Westbound from St Vrain St. to Eucalyptus St. (02/14-03/14) Overnight

ABC-7 spoke with an immigration attorney who says there are laws that can protect illegal immigrants even if they have a criminal history. “It’s scary, it’s incredibly frustrating, it’s difficult for us as attorney’s because there’s not anything I can tell people that everything is going to be OK,” Melissa Lopez said. Lopez is talking

UTEP rallied from ten points down in the second half against North Texas en route to a 77-71 victory in overtime Thursday night in Denton. Paul Thomas scored a career-high 23 points and added 14 rebounds to lead the Miners to their 8th victory in the last 10 games. The Miners trailed 44-34 in the

It’s been said that life imitates art. But can art influence life? For years, researchers have studied the effect of TV courtroom dramas on potential jurors. The phenomenon even has a name: The CSI Effect — named for the highly watched forensics crime drama television series that was broadcast for 15 seasons, from 2000 to

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating a three-vehicle crash that happened around 3 p.m. Thursday on Transmountain, said an EPCSO spokeswoman. Deputies said a tractor trailer combo, a pickup truck and a passenger car crashed as they were headed westbound on Transmountain. Two people were taken to the hospital. Their injuries are not

Las Crucens say they’re living in fear following an ICE operation in a mobile home park Wednesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Wednesday its officers conducted targeted enforcement operations in Las Cruces. Officials say additional resources and personnel were dedicated to apprehending “deportable foreign nationals.” Las Cruces residents tell ABC-7 ICE agents were in the

County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal and County Judge Veronica Escobar discussed surveillance video showing ICE agents taking into custody an undocumented transgender woman seeking a protective order in a domestic violence case. The elected officials made their case against federal agents, who they say did not tell the truth when filing the case against the

The executive director of the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence said victims should not fear about their safety if they seek shelter at the center. On Feb. 9, 2017, ICE agents took Irvin Gonzalez, also known as Ervin Gonzalez, into custody outside the courthouse. Gonzalez, who identifies as a transgender woman, was at the

ABC-7 set out to find which spaces are considered “sensitive locations” by federal agents after an undocumented immigrant was taken into custody at the El Paso County Courthouse Feb. 9. A criminal complaint obtained by ABC-7 states Irvin “Ervin” Gonzalez, who identifies as a woman, was trying to file a protective order against Mario Alberta

A Las Cruces man was arrested Thursday afternoon after Las Cruces Police said he shot at a woman and her father following a heated argument. Joseph Nicolas Crespin Jr., 35, of the 100 block of north Tornillo Street, is charged with one count of attempted murder, and one count of shooting at or from a

The City of El Paso is looking for to bring 20 major developments within the next three years. “You have these plans in place and you have a vision and and execution attached to these strategies,” District 8 Rep. Cortney Niland said. “It is much easier when you have turnover.” City leaders met Thursday morning