Raul Torrez

Raúl Torrez
Birthplace	New Mexico, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Title	23rd Attorney General of New Mexico
Known for	Lawsuits against the Trump administration; litigation against Meta Platforms over child safety; reopening of Jeffrey Epstein-related criminal probe in New Mexico

Raúl Torrez is an American attorney and politician serving as the 23rd Attorney General of New Mexico. A member of the Democratic Party, Torrez took office in January 2023 after winning the 2022 general election. He previously served as the District Attorney for Bernalillo County, the state's most populous county, which includes the city of Albuquerque. As Attorney General, Torrez has drawn attention for an aggressive posture toward federal executive action, participating in nearly three dozen lawsuits against the administration of President Donald Trump during 2025 alone. He has also pursued high-profile litigation against Meta Platforms over child safety on social media, directed the reopening of a criminal investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch property in New Mexico, and intervened in major utility acquisitions affecting New Mexico ratepayers.

Career

Bernalillo County District Attorney

Before becoming Attorney General, Torrez served as the District Attorney for Bernalillo County, New Mexico. In that role he oversaw criminal prosecutions in the Albuquerque metropolitan area, the largest jurisdiction in the state. His tenure as District Attorney established his profile as a law enforcement figure in New Mexico politics and positioned him for the statewide race for Attorney General in 2022.

Attorney General of New Mexico

Torrez won the 2022 election for Attorney General of New Mexico and assumed office in January 2023. As the state's chief legal officer, Torrez heads the New Mexico Department of Justice and is responsible for representing the state in legal matters, enforcing consumer protection laws, and overseeing the conduct of local district attorneys across the state.

Lawsuits against the Trump administration

A defining feature of Torrez's tenure as Attorney General has been his office's extensive litigation against the federal government under President Donald Trump's second term. By the end of 2025, Torrez had participated in nearly three dozen lawsuits challenging various actions taken by the Trump administration. In a year-end interview with Source New Mexico, Torrez reflected on the scope and rationale of this litigation, describing it as part of a broader effort by state attorneys general to check executive power and protect the interests of New Mexico residents.

In February 2026, Torrez issued a public statement following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against what the Attorney General's office described as "unlawful tariffs" imposed by the president. In the statement, published on the New Mexico Department of Justice website, Torrez said: "Today, the Supreme Court delivered an important reminder that the President does not have limitless power, and he is not free to drive up costs for" American consumers and businesses. The statement reflected Torrez's ongoing position that executive actions on trade policy must comply with constitutional limits on presidential authority.

In February 2026, Torrez also joined a coalition of 12 state attorneys general urging the U.S. Senate to reject legislation known as the "SAVE America Act." The coalition expressed opposition to the proposed law in a joint communication to federal legislators.

Child safety and litigation against Meta

A significant component of Torrez's work as Attorney General has involved child safety in the digital environment, particularly regarding social media platforms. The state of New Mexico, under Torrez's direction, filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that the company had created an online environment that enabled predators to target and exploit children.

In a February 2026 appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box, Torrez discussed the state's case against Meta, stating that the company "has created a space for predators to target and exploit children." During the interview, Torrez outlined what the state considered to be the ideal outcome of the litigation and discussed the broader implications for technology companies and child protection law. The case positioned New Mexico as one of several states taking legal action against major technology firms over allegations of harm to minors.

Jeffrey Epstein investigation

In February 2026, Torrez's office announced the reopening of a criminal investigation related to Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch, a property located in New Mexico. The investigation had previously been closed in 2019. According to state officials, information contained in recently unsealed FBI files "warrant further examination" of the case. Al Jazeera reported on the development, noting that New Mexico officials decided to revisit the probe based on new information that had become publicly available through the federal unsealing process.

The reopening of the Epstein-related investigation attracted significant national and international media attention, given the high-profile nature of the Epstein case and the questions surrounding the extent of criminal activity at the New Mexico property. The decision to reopen the case reflected Torrez's stated commitment to accountability and his office's willingness to revisit prior prosecutorial decisions when new evidence emerged.

Utility regulation and consumer protection

Torrez has been active in matters involving utility regulation and consumer protection in New Mexico, intervening in several proposed corporate transactions involving the state's major utility companies.

In February 2026, Torrez publicly questioned the legality of a proposed $11.5 billion merger between PNM Resources, the parent company of the state's largest electric utility, and Blackstone Inc., the private equity firm. Torrez urged state regulators to closely scrutinize the proposed sale, raising concerns about the transaction's impact on New Mexico ratepayers and the state's energy landscape. KOB.com reported that the Attorney General's intervention added a significant hurdle to the proposed deal, which required approval from state utility regulators.

In December 2025, Torrez filed a legal brief opposing the acquisition of New Mexico Gas Company unless state regulators imposed several restrictions on the transaction. The filing reflected concerns about the potential effects of the acquisition on consumers and on the reliability and affordability of natural gas service in the state. Source New Mexico reported that the Attorney General's opposition introduced conditions that the acquiring entity would need to satisfy before the deal could proceed.

These interventions in utility mergers and acquisitions represented a broader pattern in Torrez's tenure of using the Attorney General's office to advocate for consumer interests in corporate transactions with statewide implications.

Oversight of local district attorneys

Torrez has exercised the Attorney General's authority to oversee the conduct of local prosecutors in New Mexico. In August 2025, Torrez filed a petition seeking the removal of McKinley County District Attorney Bernadine Martin from office. The petition followed an investigation conducted by the New Mexico Department of Justice into Martin's office, which involved accusations of misconduct. KOAT reported that the petition was a significant exercise of the Attorney General's supervisory authority over district attorneys in the state.

The action against the McKinley County DA illustrated Torrez's willingness to use the tools available to the Attorney General's office to address concerns about the functioning of local prosecutorial offices, particularly in underserved and rural communities within New Mexico.

Recognition

Torrez's tenure as Attorney General has generated substantial media coverage at both the state and national levels. His participation in multi-state coalitions of attorneys general opposing actions by the Trump administration has placed him among a group of Democratic state legal officers who have received attention for their litigation strategies against the federal executive branch. His CNBC appearance discussing the Meta lawsuit brought additional national visibility to both the New Mexico case and the broader issue of technology companies' responsibilities regarding child safety.

The reopening of the Epstein-related criminal investigation at Zorro Ranch drew international coverage, including reporting by Al Jazeera, further raising the profile of Torrez's office on matters of public accountability. Within New Mexico, his interventions in the PNM-Blackstone merger and the NM Gas Company acquisition positioned him as an advocate for consumer interests in the state's energy sector, garnering coverage from multiple state media outlets.

Legacy

As of early 2026, Torrez continues to serve as Attorney General of New Mexico. His tenure has been characterized by an active approach to the office's powers, encompassing federal litigation, consumer protection interventions, technology company accountability, criminal investigations of national significance, and oversight of local prosecutors. The breadth of his legal activities has placed the New Mexico Attorney General's office at the center of several nationally significant legal and policy debates.

Torrez's participation in nearly three dozen lawsuits against the Trump administration during 2025 alone positioned New Mexico as an active participant in the broader phenomenon of state-level legal challenges to federal executive action, a dynamic that has shaped American federalism in the early 21st century. His office's litigation against Meta over child safety contributed to a growing body of state-level legal action aimed at holding technology platforms accountable for harms to minors, an area of law that continued to evolve rapidly during his tenure.

The decision to reopen the Epstein-related investigation at Zorro Ranch, based on newly unsealed FBI files, demonstrated the office's responsiveness to emerging evidence and its willingness to revisit prior prosecutorial decisions. His interventions in major utility transactions underscored the role of the state Attorney General as a guardian of consumer interests in an era of corporate consolidation in the energy sector.