Clashes at Doña Ana County meeting over data center lead to arrests, proposed moratorium
A Doña Ana County meeting concerning the Project Jupiter data center in Santa Teresa escalated into a confrontation between law enforcement and activists, leading to arrests and criticism from elected officials. The incident highlights ongoing community frustration with the project, prompting lawmakers to propose a statewide moratorium on data center development in New Mexico.
A recent Doña Ana County Commissioners meeting regarding Project Jupiter, a hyperscale data center under construction in Santa Teresa for Oracle and OpenAI, devolved into chaos, resulting in scuffles between law enforcement, private security, and local activists. The incident, captured on video and widely circulated, drew criticism from elected officials including U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Las Cruces City Councilor Johana Bencomo, and State Rep. Angelica Rubio. Opponents of the data center, who have raised environmental concerns and protested recent changes to public comment rules, were vocal, with some chanting "Let us speak!".
During the melee, three data center opponents—Abegail Salugsugan, Kiki Garden, and Orin Parnell—were arrested on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and/or resisting officers; Salugsugan sustained an injury requiring medical attention. County Chairman Manny Sanchez defended efforts to maintain order, while opponents claimed their input was being suppressed.
In response to ongoing community frustration, State Rep. Angelica Rubio and other lawmakers have pledged to introduce a statewide moratorium on data center development when the state Legislature convenes in January, signaling growing political attention to the issue.