The Latest: Barr touts crime-fighting effort in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The Latest on a crime-fighting initiative from the U.S. attorney general (all times local):

1:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr and other federal officials say nearly 330 fugitives suspected of violent crimes have been arrested as part of a crime-fighting initiative in New Mexico.

Barr was in Albuquerque on Tuesday to highlight the results of Operation Triple Beam, a program that has been conducted in numerous U.S. cities and has led to hundreds of arrests.

The arrests in the Albuquerque area included several dozen state probation and parole absconders as well as fugitives wanted for homicide, assault, sex crimes and drug charges. More than 90 arrests were made in Santa Fe and Farmington.

Federal authorities also recovered 31 stolen vehicles and seized illegal firearms, drugs and $50,000 in cash.

Barr said the operation has been targeted at violent, gang-related crime in some of America’s most dangerous cities.

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9 a.m.

Democratic Congresswoman Deb Haaland of Albuquerque is urging Attorney General William Barr to meet in New Mexico with groups that are providing humanitarian assistance to immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S.

Barr planned to promote a crime-fighting initiative Tuesday in New Mexico as the state struggles to curb some of the highest property and violent cries rates in the nation.

In a letter ahead of the visit, Haaland urged Barr to use his visit to better understand the impact of federal immigration policies on people fleeing extreme violence in other countries.

The first-term congresswoman and tribal member of Laguna Pueblo also urged Barr to consult with local Native American communities about a crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women.

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1 a.m.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr plans to promote a crime-fighting initiative Tuesday in New Mexico as the state struggles to curb some of the highest property and violent crimes rates in the nation.

The Justice Department says Barr is joining U.S. Marshal Service Director Donald Washington and other federal authorities to announce the arrests of 300 fugitives suspected of violent crimes.

Authorities say the arrests resulted from Operation Triple Beam, a program that has been conducted in numerous cities and led to hundreds of arrests.

The New Mexico arrests resulted from a three-month operation.

Barr’s visit follows revelations last week that he rebuffed President Donald Trump’s request to hold a news conference declaring no laws were broken when the president pressed his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Democrats.