According to a recent report, the state of New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice, demanding access to unredacted investigative files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The state accuses federal agencies of obstructing its own investigation into the matter.
The lawsuit states that New Mexico reopened its Epstein investigation this past February and asked the DOJ to hand over relevant documents. The goal is to determine whether any visitors or staff members at Epstein’s sprawling “Zorro Ranch” in the state were involved in criminal activity or hold key information about it.
A drone shot of Zorro Ranch near Stanley, New Mexico, captured on March 8, 2026.
New Mexico Attorney General Torrez made it clear that without reviewing these files, the state simply can’t move forward. “We need these documents to decide whether we can press charges against certain individuals,” he said.
The DOJ, however, pushed back, citing the Epstein Files Transparency Act and court protective orders. Federal officials argue they’re not legally allowed to release information that could expose victim identities. They also claim New Mexico hasn’t provided a valid legal basis for such a “massive disclosure.”
This legal showdown is adding more fuel to the already heated debate over the release of Epstein-related documents. The Trump administration has been under mounting political pressure over how it’s handled these files.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report released by New Mexico lawmakers paints a troubling picture. According to the evidence so far, Epstein allegedly victimized at least five women and girls at Zorro Ranch between 1996 and 2012, with another 30 or more people possibly harmed or linked to the case.
The report also reveals that the investigative committee has issued subpoenas to multiple agencies and received over 100,000 documents. But some requests were denied, including those sent to the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. New Mexico officials are crying foul, saying the DOJ hasn’t lived up to a 2019 information-sharing agreement between the two sides.