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Okla. A.G. Drummond Reaches Landmark Settlement With Meta
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 28 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Aug. 26, 2026:
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Drummond reaches landmark settlement with Meta
Company to pay more than $17 billion, implement sweeping child-safety reforms
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Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a landmark $17.1 billion dollar multi-state settlement with Meta Platforms today over the company's harmful features to children and teens on Facebook and Instagram.
The agreement is one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in history. In addition to payment, Meta must implement
... Show Full Article
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 28 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Aug. 26, 2026:
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Drummond reaches landmark settlement with Meta
Company to pay more than $17 billion, implement sweeping child-safety reforms
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Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a landmark $17.1 billion dollar multi-state settlement with Meta Platforms today over the company's harmful features to children and teens on Facebook and Instagram.
The agreement is one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in history. In addition to payment, Meta must implementa sweeping set of safety features designed to protect children on its social media platforms.
The agreement resolves claims by Oklahoma, 46 other states and Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that the company designed Instagram with addictive features, knowingly exposed young users to serious mental harms and intentionally misled the public about the safety of its platforms.
"This settlement is a monumental victory for the protection of our children, and it will fundamentally transform how the social media industry designs platforms for kids and teens," Drummond said. "This agreement holds Meta accountable and sends a clear message that protecting children online is mandatory."
Under the settlement, Oklahoma will receive a guaranteed $235,578,728, which may increase to $334,107,696, if additional core industry members including Snap, YouTube and TikTok agree to similar settlements. Drummond added that harmful online features extend well beyond any one company and credited Meta as the first major platform to reach a comprehensive resolution on youth safety.
The settlement requires Meta to implement a series of safety features on Instagram and Facebook teen user accounts, including:
* Prohibitions on social comparison features, including disabling cosmetic procedure filters and visible "like" or reaction counts, which have been linked to poor mental health outcomes in kids and teens.
* Hard cap daily time limits of two hours for five years across all Meta Social Media Platforms (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, and any new or spinoff features).
* Productive pauses for children including mandatory pauses after 15 minutes of continuous use and again at 60 and 90 minutes to interrupt endless scrolling.
* Nighttime blocks restricting children's access from midnight to 6 a.m. and restricting push notifications from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
* School mode, restricting school-time access for children, eliminating push notifications on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the school year.
* Robust age assurance measures to more effectively verify the age of young users, and prohibiting accounts for children under the age of 13.
* Safer, age-appropriate content controls, including stronger safeguards against bullying, content promoting eating disorders and content related to suicide and self-harm.
* Stronger, more user-friendly and default parental controls.
Both the implementation and efficacy of the features will be regularly assessed by an independent auditor and the settling states. Drummond said the groundbreaking changes to Instagram and Facebook are more significant and comprehensive than previously ordered by any court. Further, the safety requirements tighten if core industry members join or become subject to similar terms.
"This settlement represents a down payment toward an industry-wide social media experience that allows kids to connect in a healthy way," he said.
Drummond filed his lawsuit against Meta in October 2023. The settlement also resolves Oklahoma's and the other states' claims against Meta for sharing nonpublic information about Facebook users with third parties like Cambridge Analytica. This settlement is subject to the court's approval.
Read the Settlement (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/august/Settlement%20Agreement%20FINAL%20-%20Fully%20Executed.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/august/drummond-reaches-landmark-settlement-with-meta.html
N.J. A.G. Davenport Challenges Unconstitutional Funding Conditions on Healthcare
TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 28 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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AG Davenport Challenges Unconstitutional Funding Conditions on Healthcare
Trump Administration Seeks to Impose New Barriers to Title X Funding, Affecting Access to Birth Control and Other Services
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today joined a coalition of 23 states in suing to block a new federal policy that threatens to strip federal family-planning funding from states and medical providers unless they meet a variety of unlawful conditions, many of
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 28 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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AG Davenport Challenges Unconstitutional Funding Conditions on Healthcare
Trump Administration Seeks to Impose New Barriers to Title X Funding, Affecting Access to Birth Control and Other Services
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today joined a coalition of 23 states in suing to block a new federal policy that threatens to strip federal family-planning funding from states and medical providers unless they meet a variety of unlawful conditions, many ofwhich are not based in science or evidence-based medical care.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, challenges new conditions on Title X funds, which support reproductive healthcare, family planning, cancer screenings, and other critical preventive care for millions of low-income Americans nationwide. The new conditions will penalize states and providers that refuse to abandon nondiscrimination initiatives or conform to the administration's anti-science and ideological version of family planning.
The states are asking the court to block the unlawful and discriminatory conditions and protect Americans' access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.
"The most intimate, consequential, healthcare decisions of your life should not be dictated by politics, or by how much money you have in your wallet," said Attorney General Davenport. "The Trump Administration is illegally intruding into the lives of New Jersey families in ways that will make healthcare even more expensive. We cannot accept that."
Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated specifically to family planning and related preventive health services. For more than 50 years, through a neutral, bipartisan, merit-based process, Title X has helped millions of low-income patients access contraception, cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, pregnancy testing and counseling, and other necessary preventive healthcare services
In July, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a new funding notice for the next five-year grant cycle that, for the first time, requires applicants to match their programs to a sweeping set of the Trump Administration's political priorities as a condition of receiving or keeping federal funds.
The priorities include discouraging the use of birth control and contraception; excluding and stigmatizing transgender people; requiring clinics to counsel all patients toward marriage and parenthood rather than providing neutral, patient-centered guidance; and complying with unrelated political priorities.
Healthcare providers who don't comply with this set of non-medical conditions risk losing their funding altogether.
Attorney General Davenport and the coalition argue that the new HHS conditions conflict with Title X's governing statute and regulations, which require providers to offer a broad range of contraceptive methods, provide patient-centered counseling, and serve all patients, including LGBTQ+ individuals, in an inclusive and nondiscriminatory manner. The states also argue that HHS unlawfully imposed the new conditions without the notice-and-comment process required under the Administrative Procedure Act, and that the conditions are so vague that providers cannot reasonably determine what compliance requires.
The coalition is asking the court to declare the administration's new conditions unlawful, block HHS from enforcing them, and preserve access to Title X funding for state health agencies and other qualified providers under the program's existing, longstanding rules.
Joining Attorney General Davenport in filing this lawsuit, which was led by the attorneys general of New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts, are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
Complaint (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-0827_Title-X-State-of-NY-v.-HHS-Complaint-file-stamped.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ag-davenport-challenges-unconstitutional-funding-conditions-on-healthcare/
Md. A.G. Brown Challenges Title X Funding Conditions
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. 28 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Challenges Title X Funding Conditions
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general and two governors in suing to block a new federal policy that threatens to strip federal family planning funding from states and providers unless they meet a variety of unlawful conditions.
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, challenges new conditions on Title X funds, which
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. 28 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Brown Challenges Title X Funding Conditions
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general and two governors in suing to block a new federal policy that threatens to strip federal family planning funding from states and providers unless they meet a variety of unlawful conditions.
The lawsuit, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, challenges new conditions on Title X funds, whichsupport reproductive healthcare, family planning, cancer screenings, and other critical preventive care for millions of Americans nationwide. The new conditions will penalize states and providers that refuse to abandon nondiscrimination protections or conform their Title X programs to the administration's ideological vision of family planning. The coalition is asking the court to block the unlawful and discriminatory conditions and protect Americans' access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.
"For decades, federal family planning funding has enabled Maryland to provide tens of thousands of families with care they could not otherwise afford," said Attorney General Brown. "Cutting off that funding does not merely eliminate a budget line. It means fewer cancer screenings and more preventable diseases going undetected. My Office will not stand by while the federal government puts politics ahead of patients' health."
Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated specifically to family planning and related preventive health services. For more than 50 years, Title X has helped millions of low-income patients access contraception, cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, pregnancy testing and counseling, and other preventive healthcare.
In July, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a new funding notice for the next five-year grant cycle that, for the first time, requires applicants to align their programs with a sweeping set of political priorities as a condition of receiving or keeping federal funds. The priorities include eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion practices; excluding and stigmatizing transgender people; discouraging the use of contraception in favor of natural family planning; requiring clinics to counsel all patients toward marriage and parenthood rather than providing neutral, patient-centered guidance; and complying with unrelated political priorities like "ending crime and disorder on America's streets." Providers who don't comply risk losing their funding altogether.
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has participated in the Title X program for more than 50 years and has never been denied a Title X grant. Along with approximately $6.3 million in state funding, about $3.7 million in Title X funds currently support family planning operations of 19 local health departments and four private nonprofits. In State Fiscal Year 2025, providers receiving Title X funding as subrecipients of MDH served 51,561 Marylanders, with more than 60% receiving family planning services at no cost. This funding is critical to public health outcomes in Maryland, including the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. For example, if MDH does not have access to Title X funding, the Maryland Family Planning Program expects to provide 1,447 fewer Pap smears each year, resulting in 25 high-grade cervical pre-cancers going undetected annually.
Attorney General Brown and the coalition argue that the new HHS conditions conflict with Title X's governing statute and regulations, which require providers to offer a broad range of contraceptive methods, provide nondirective counseling, and serve all patients, including LGBTQ+ individuals, in an inclusive and nondiscriminatory manner. The coalition also argues that HHS unlawfully imposed the new conditions without the notice-and-comment process required under the Administrative Procedure Act. Additionally, the coalition argues that the conditions are so vague that providers cannot reasonably determine what compliance requires, in violation of the Constitution's Spending Clause, which limits the government's ability to attach unclear or unrelated strings to federal funding.
The coalition is asking the court to declare the administration's new political conditions unlawful, block HHS from enforcing them, and preserve access to Title X funding for state health agencies and other qualified providers under the program's existing, longstanding rules.
Joining Attorney General Brown in filing this lawsuit, which he co-led with the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts, are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Challenges-Title-X-Funding-Conditions.aspx
ICYMI: Va. A.G. Jones Announces Federal Accountability Unit
RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 28 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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ICYMI: Attorney General Jones Announces Federal Accountability Unit
Attorney General Jones announced the creation of the Federal Accountability Unit, a new team within the Office of the Attorney General dedicated to confronting Trump administration actions that exceed federal authority and threaten Virginia's interests. This is the first cross-functional team of its kind within the Office of Attorney General, establishing permanent capacity to identify emerging threats,
... Show Full Article
RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 28 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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ICYMI: Attorney General Jones Announces Federal Accountability Unit
Attorney General Jones announced the creation of the Federal Accountability Unit, a new team within the Office of the Attorney General dedicated to confronting Trump administration actions that exceed federal authority and threaten Virginia's interests. This is the first cross-functional team of its kind within the Office of Attorney General, establishing permanent capacity to identify emerging threats,respond quickly, and take legal action.
PRESS RELEASE: Attorney General Jones Forms Dedicated Legal Unit to Confront Unprecedented Trump Administration Overreach
"I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," said Attorney General Jay Jones. "I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE. My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy. The creation of this unit ensures dedicated personnel and resources are in place to fight back in court and protect the people we serve."
Richmond Times Dispatch: Va. Attorney General creates unit to act on federal overreach
Attorney General Jay Jones is launching another new enforcement unit, this time to respond to actions by the federal government that he said overreach their authority in Virginia.
Jones said Wednesday that the new "federal accountability unit" would allow the state to quickly challenge actions by President Donald Trump that the attorney general said threaten Virginia's interests, such as the cuts in government employment and spending under the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
He said the new unit also would respond to federal actions affecting elections, healthcare, consumers, constitutional rights, tariffs and other economic policies.
"I have a fundamental responsibility as attorney general to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," Jones said in a statement on Wednesday. "The Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE."
"My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the president attacks our democracy," he said. "The creation of this unit ensures dedicated personnel and resources are in place to fight back in court and protect the people we serve."
[...]
Deputy Solicitor General Megan Keenan will lead the new enforcement unit, which will include four attorneys from her office and the Civil Litigation Division.
"We understand the weight of the work and the stakes for Virginians," Keenan said in a statement. "We will move quickly, defend the Commonwealth and meet unlawful action with the full force of the law."
"Our charge is to anticipate emerging threats, build the strongest cases possible, and ensure the state is prepared with its interests or its people are put at risk," she said.
The new unit will work with other states and attorneys general to coordinate multistate litigation and what the office called "consequential cases involving Trump administration policies and actions."
WJLA and The Baltimore Sun: Virginia attorney general creates unit to challenge Trump administration actions
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced the creation of a new legal unit Thursday dedicated to challenging what his office describes as federal overreach by the Trump administration.
The Federal Accountability Unit will have four attorneys working across the Office of the Solicitor General and Civil Litigation Division. Deputy Solicitor General Megan Keenan will lead the team.
According to Jones' office, the unit will give Virginia a permanent legal team focused on identifying emerging federal actions, responding quickly and potentially challenging them in court.
"I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," Jones said.
Jones said the unit will focus on federal policies affecting Virginia, including tariffs, federal funding, cuts to the federal workforce and actions by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
The office said the team's work will also cover elections, health care, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights and other economic policies.
Officials said the unit will bring lawsuits when necessary, defend Virginia's interests in court and coordinate with attorneys general from other states on multistate litigation.
"I promised to put Virginia first, and the Federal Accountability Unit will take on Trump administration actions that hurt Virginians, from tariffs that exacerbate the cost crisis, to the damage left behind by DOGE. My team will be ready to act when Trump holds critical funding hostage, when federal policies threaten Virginia workers and families, or when the President attacks our democracy. The creation of this unit ensures dedicated personnel and resources are in place to fight back in court and protect the people we serve," Jones said.
The attorney general's office said the unit is the first cross-functional team of its kind within the office.
The Center Square: Virginia Attorney General creates unit to challenge federal actions
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is creating a four-attorney unit dedicated to challenging actions by the Trump administration that his office says exceed federal authority or threaten the commonwealth's interests.
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Jones' office said the unit will give the Attorney General's Office permanent staff dedicated to identifying federal actions, responding to them and pursuing litigation.
"I have a fundamental responsibility as Attorney General to defend the Commonwealth and protect Virginians when the federal government exceeds its authority," Jones said.
The unit will focus on issues including federal funding, elections, health care, immigration, environmental protections, consumer issues, constitutional rights, tariffs and other economic policies.
[...]
Since taking office, Jones has participated in cases involving tariffs, federal control over elections, conditions placed on emergency and counterterrorism funding, access to voter information, commercial driver data and federal housing funds.
His office has also challenged multiple rounds of Trump administration tariffs and joined litigation over executive actions affecting state election authority.
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3108-icymi-attorney-general-jones-announces-federal-accountability-unit
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Reminds Veterans About the Deadline to Submit a Claim Form for VetLink Solutions' Restitution
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 28 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Reminds Veterans About the Deadline to Submit a Claim Form for VetLink Solutions' Restitution
Attorney General Kris Mayes is reminding veterans who may be eligible for restitution in the VetLink Solutions settlement that the deadline to submit a claim form is Thursday, September 10, 2026.
In June 2026, Attorney General Mayes secured a settlement from White Tanks Group LLC, doing business as VetLink Solutions, along with its principals. The Consent
... Show Full Article
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 28 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Reminds Veterans About the Deadline to Submit a Claim Form for VetLink Solutions' Restitution
Attorney General Kris Mayes is reminding veterans who may be eligible for restitution in the VetLink Solutions settlement that the deadline to submit a claim form is Thursday, September 10, 2026.
In June 2026, Attorney General Mayes secured a settlement from White Tanks Group LLC, doing business as VetLink Solutions, along with its principals. The ConsentJudgment, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, resolves allegations that VetLink Solutions violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act by misleading veterans seeking disability benefits increases about the nature of its services, implying that it could perform services that only VA accredited representatives were authorized to provide, and improperly charging thousands of dollars for services that accredited VA representatives could not charge.
The Consent Judgment secures $1.2 million in restitution from VetLink Solutions. The Attorney General will distribute these funds to Arizona veterans who purchased VetLink Solutions' services, and any remaining restitution will be distributed to veterans in other states.
From 2019 through 2024, the company advertised its services nationwide and implied it could guide veterans through the disability benefits claims process, promising unrealistic increases in benefits, including claims related assistance. It used a prohibited contingency fee payment structure and charged some customers unreasonable amounts for the services provided, including substantial fees, sometimes as high as $12,000, tied to the veteran's increased disability payments. VetLink continued these practices despite the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sending two cease-and desist letters.
You may be an eligible consumer if you are a veteran who paid consulting fees to VetLink Solutions for assistance with a disability claim between January 2019 and March 13, 2024.
All claims must be submitted through the Settlement Administrator, not the Attorney General's Office. To submit a claim or learn more about the settlement, visit www.AZAGVetLinkSettlement.com. You may also contact the Settlement Administrator by email at info@AZAGVetLinkSettlement.com or by calling the toll-free number (866) 880 0070.
The deadline to file an electronic claim form or postmark a mailed claim form is Thursday, September 10, 2026.
If you believe you are a victim of consumer fraud or unfair practices, you can file a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's Office at www.azag.gov/consumer. If you need a complaint form sent to you, you can contact the Attorney General's Office in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6648, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at (800) 352-8431.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-reminds-veterans-about-deadline-submit-claim-form-vetlink
Ariz. A.G. Mayes Announces Review of Automated License Plate Readers' Impact on Privacy Rights, Voices Concerns on Misuse
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 28 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Announces Review of Automated License Plate Readers' Impact on Privacy Rights, Voices Concerns on Misuse
Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced she will conduct a review of the use of Flock cameras and other similar surveillance and automated license plate reader systems across Arizona.
"Technology can and does play an important role in helping law enforcement solve and prevent crime, but its use must be balanced against the Constitution and
... Show Full Article
PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 28 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Mayes Announces Review of Automated License Plate Readers' Impact on Privacy Rights, Voices Concerns on Misuse
Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced she will conduct a review of the use of Flock cameras and other similar surveillance and automated license plate reader systems across Arizona.
"Technology can and does play an important role in helping law enforcement solve and prevent crime, but its use must be balanced against the Constitution andArizonans' privacy rights," Attorney General Mayes said. "Arizonans are rightfully concerned about the documented examples of the misuse of this technology as well as how it affects their privacy rights. I share those concerns. We need a statewide approach to this issue."
Attorney General Mayes' announcement follows a wave of scrutiny in recent weeks: several law enforcement agencies have canceled their Flock contracts, others have reported misuse of the systems, and the public has raised growing concerns about the use of the technology and the impacts on privacy.
The Attorney General's analysis will consider how this technology has been used, how it impacts Arizonans' privacy, and any potential infringement on 4th Amendment rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The Attorney General will prepare a report on the findings and deliver it to the Legislature and Governor's Office.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-announces-review-automated-license-plate-readers-impact
A.G. Torrez Sues U.S. Department of Justice to Obtain Records on DEA's Handling of Fentanyl in New Mexico
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 28 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Sues U.S. Department of Justice to Obtain Records on DEA's Handling of Fentanyl in New Mexico
NMDOJ investigation seeks answers about allegations that federal agents allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to enter New Mexico communities
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Albuquerque, NM -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez today filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico against the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S.
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, Aug. 28 -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2026:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez Sues U.S. Department of Justice to Obtain Records on DEA's Handling of Fentanyl in New Mexico
NMDOJ investigation seeks answers about allegations that federal agents allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to enter New Mexico communities
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Albuquerque, NM -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez today filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico against the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S.Attorney General Todd Blanche, seeking records necessary for the New Mexico Department of Justice's (NMDOJ) investigation into allegations that DEA agents knowingly allowed large quantities of fentanyl to be distributed in New Mexico.
The investigation began after whistleblowers alleged that federal agents and prosecutors engaged in a practice known as "fentanyl walking," allowing fentanyl shipments to proceed as part of investigations aimed at identifying higher-level drug traffickers. The allegations include claims that the practice occurred in New Mexico between 2022 and 2025 and may have violated the federal government's own fentanyl protocols.
The NMDOJ formally requested records from the U.S. Department of Justice in July, including internal policies, investigative files, communications, records related to whistleblower disclosures, and information concerning the public-health consequences of the alleged practices. The federal government denied the request and, after the NMDOJ responded to the stated objections and provided additional information, failed to produce the requested records or provide any further response.
"Fentanyl is devasting families across New Mexico, and we deserve to know the truth about the DEA's practice of allowing that poison to flow into our communities," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "Rather than come clean with the public, the United States Department of Justice is once again stonewalling our efforts to get to the bottom of this unconscionable practice, to determine who is responsible for endangering our families and to hold those responsible to account."
The complaint alleges that during the period under investigation, New Mexico experienced a 21-percent increase in overdose deaths while overdose deaths nationally declined by 14 percent.
The lawsuit argues that the federal government's refusal to provide the records is unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act and interferes with New Mexico's sovereign authority to investigate potential violations of state law.
The NMDOJ is asking the federal court to order the U.S. Department of Justice to produce the requested records or, at minimum, reconsider its denial in accordance with federal regulations governing requests for records by state law enforcement agencies.
Copy of the Complaint (https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/NM-v-USDOJ-26-cv-02830-DNM-Aug.-27-2026-Complaint.pdf)
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Original text here: https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/attorney-general-raul-torrez-sues-u-s-department-of-justice-to-obtain-records-on-deas-handling-of-fentanyl-in-new-mexico/
