LAS CRUCES, DOÑA ANA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO · DATA CENTERS
Archive item · Events of July 28 – August 5, 2026
What happened: At a July 28 Doña Ana County Commission meeting on Project Jupiter, the chair limited public comment to 30 speakers at two minutes each, although about 60 had signed up. Protesters moved to the front chanting “Let us speak,” and security and deputies removed people. Three demonstrators were arrested on disorderly conduct charges, two of them also on resisting or obstructing charges, KVIA’s Carpio Griego reported.
Claim: Sheriff Kim Stewart said a private security guard pushed a demonstrator to the ground and that she was referring the guard to the district attorney for possible felony assault, the Santa Fe New Mexican’s Julia Gentin reported. “I do not understand security guards putting their hands on people,” she said.
Check: The referral is the sheriff’s account; the DA’s office had not received it as of the New Mexican’s August 5 report. The arrests are charges, not convictions. We found no confirmed prosecution decision.
Concern: Residents wanted time to speak on a project Oracle and STACK Infrastructure representatives said would bring 7,000 jobs. An attorney for four demonstrators said he would file a civil-rights claim against the county and the security firm.
Outcome: Unresolved. The project is under construction; the arrest cases and the threatened claim are pending.
Location Decision takeaway
How a public body runs a hearing becomes part of the project’s story. Limiting comment on a high-stakes vote invites confrontation, and hired security escalates it. Clear speaking rules set in advance protect everyone in the room.
Original reporting: Carpio Griego, KVIA, July 28, 2026. Follow-up: Julia Gentin, Santa Fe New Mexican, August 5, 2026.
About this item: Contested Ground items are sourced and written by AI from the credited reporting and public records linked above, following Location Decision’s editorial standards. We publish them to track disputes over what America builds and to inform Location Decision’s broader editorial analysis. They are not independent reporting by our staff.