North Valley mosque moves forward after officials deny appeal - Nakayla McClelland, Albuquerque Journal
The Bernalillo County Planning Commission on Wednesday cleared the way for a mosque to be built in the North Valley, denying an appeal that would have prevented the place of worship from breaking ground.
The Albuquerque Islamic Center said the 45,000-square-foot mosque — which would be at 9600 Second NW near Alameda — is meant to provide a larger space for worship and various programs. The organization has another mosque on Menaul NE near Moon and Wyoming.
The appeal, filed by Maria/Diers Neighborhood Association President Pat Hauser, raised concerns about noise and traffic and said the mosque would violate zoning laws.
On Wednesday, commissioners voted 5-1 to deny the appeal. The AIC said the mosque will be built under specifications meant to alleviate concerns of nearby residents.
Hauser began the hearing by walking planning commissioners through the various issues he had with the mosque, primarily that traffic in the Alameda area would worsen. However, he also denounced individuals who used the appeal as an opportunity to make borderline or outright Islamophobic statements.
“I want to be truly clear that … we do not support any group or individual using this case to promote anti-religious rhetoric,” he said. “That is not our agenda and is not the agenda of the neighbors who joined this appeal.”
Opposition
Hundreds of people filled the room at the county headquarters in Downtown Albuquerque on Tuesday morning. Fire marshals had to send people into an outflow room. The meeting, which began around 11 a.m., continued until nearly 4 p.m. as religious leaders, North Valley residents and others shared their opinions about the mosque. Commissioners had to quiet the crowd multiple times.
Some attendees donned green scarves to show their support for the mosque, while some in opposition wore American flag shirts and cowboy hats. One woman referred to those wearing the scarves as "jihadis" and said she had lived near a mosque in the past and that it was “horrible.”
Opponents of the mosque spoke against the Muslim community as a whole, stating that Sharia law and the Quran were “anti-American and anti-equality," and said supporters want to “conquer and destroy Christian beliefs.”
James Clements said that worshippers would not assimilate into a “Western capitalist free enterprise system.”
“I was accused by some of our colleagues here of being a Ku Klux Christian,” he said. “I wear that brand proudly. I’ll let you know that Islam is not a religion; it’s a geopolitical ideology masquerading as a religion.”
Lindsay Sedillo, who submitted a comment virtually, wrote that Muslims planned to invade America and the mosque being built was another step toward that.
“They burn American flags and want to conquer America,” she wrote. “Import the third world and you get the third world. 9/11 is a reminder of the hate that Muslims have for America.”
Others, such as Suzanne Presti, said that the mosque would compromise what is a traditionally rural community of smaller businesses, homes and farmers while causing traffic issues.
“Due to the adverse impact on traffic and safety … the location is just not appropriate for the size and scope of the project,” she said. “The North Valley is not a city. You’ll find chickens, horses, crops and open fields.”
Even the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which hosts one of New Mexico’s largest events, submitted a comment stating it was "unclear whether a comprehensive traffic study was conducted” and cited heightened traffic conditions during the event.
Support
Mohammed Naqib said that the mosque was a celebration of diversity and intercultural relationships within New Mexico.
“When people ask what this mosque contributes to Albuquerque, I think the answer is found in the people it helped shape,” he said. “It helped raise compassionate young adults who care about their neighbors.”
The Rev. Christopher Holliday, a Catholic priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in the North Valley, said he supported the mosque because as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the rights of Americans, including freedom of religion, need to be maintained.
“That is something important for us to cultivate,” he said. “There are so many influences from the Islamic culture and the Moorish community. This is consistent with our identity as New Mexicans, as Christians, as Americans, and in my denomination as Catholic.”
Taha Abdeljawad said that a mosque was just like a church or a synagogue, providing people a space to practice their religion peacefully.
“Unfortunately, most of the opposition we've seen has been rooted in misconceptions and fear rather than facts,” he said. “My hope is that we choose understanding over division and judge this project based on what it truly is, a place of worship for families who simply want the same opportunity to practice their religion and have a good space as everybody else.”
Court finds ICE detention policy violates federal law - Colleen Heild, Albuquerque Journal
The Trump administration’s year-old practice of denying bond hearings to thousands of noncitizens detained by immigration agents violates federal law, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week.
The Denver-based court Tuesday ordered the release of Rigoberto Santillan Quiroz, who has spent eight months in detention after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested him during a traffic stop in Oklahoma.
Quiroz is not charged with a crime, and no one contends he is a flight risk or a danger to the community, the three-judge panel found. He lived in the United States for 20 years, raised a family and was "whisked" away by ICE agents in November, according to the court's opinion.
ICE initiated removal proceedings against Quiroz, alleging he entered the country illegally. He filed a habeas corpus petition seeking a bond hearing, like thousands of others who have filed similar cases in U.S. District Court in New Mexico. Judges there have most often ruled against the Trump administration's policy.
In Quiroz's case, the 10th Circuit, which includes New Mexico, reversed a district court decision that agreed with the government that his mandatory detention without bond was permitted under federal law.
"We conclude by recognizing again the stakes of this dispute," the panel wrote. "In our circuit, thousands of noncitizens are likely subject to mandatory detention under the Government's newfound statutory reading and policy. Many more legal battles over this policy are currently playing out in courts across the country. Five circuits have already weighed in. Ultimately, only one court, the Supreme Court, can settle this issue once and for all."
Two federal appeals courts, based in St. Louis and New Orleans, have sided with the Trump administration. Three others, based in Atlanta, New York and Cincinnati, have agreed with the 10th Circuit's interpretation of an immigration law that reserves mandatory detention for people arrested at the U.S. border.
The 10th Circuit found that, for nearly 30 years, noncitizens already living in the United States have been eligible for bond after being detained.
That changed in July 2025, when the Trump administration adopted what the appeals court described as "a new and novel reading of old statutes."
The administration defended its policy by citing a section of immigration law that historically has applied to people entering the United States at the border.
"The Government's new position has resulted in a large increase in the number of immigration detainees and a flood of habeas petitions challenging those detentions. The circuits have split on the best reading of applicable statutes, and we are the latest court of appeals to weigh in on this question of national importance," the panel wrote.
Although the court's interpretation has nationwide implications, a habeas corpus petition, such as Quiroz's, is "inherent