New Mexico has sued Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Department of Justice to obtain unredacted Epstein-related files that it says are key to investigating alleged crimes at Zorro Ranch in Stanley, New Mexico. The state says the DOJ rejected formal Touhy requests and is blocking its probe, harming survivors and delaying justice. The Justice Department counters that protective orders and the Epstein Files Transparency Act do not require blanket disclosure of victim-identifying information, and that victim privacy remains paramount. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to compel release of the unredacted records.
New Mexico Sues DOJ for Unredacted Epstein Files, Says Zorro Ranch Probe Is Being Stonewalled
New Mexico sues Justice Department over Epstein files
New Mexico on Wednesday filed suit against Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Department of Justice seeking access to unredacted files related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., alleges the federal government has blocked the state’s effort to investigate possible crimes connected to Epstein after he purchased Zorro Ranch in Stanley, New Mexico, in 1993. According to the suit, initial informal requests for records were followed by formal Touhy requests directed by the Department of Justice, which the DOJ then rejected.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the state "has a duty to protect survivors and investigate crimes committed in our state so that perpetrators can be held accountable." He added that requested records could be critical to identifying victims, witnesses, and additional criminal conduct at Zorro Ranch.
The lawsuit contends that New Mexico is among a small number of jurisdictions in a position to pursue justice for survivors tied to alleged misconduct on the ranch, and that federal resistance has left gaps in the investigation. The complaint asks a federal judge to find that the Justice Department's actions interfere with the state's investigative authority and to order release of unredacted Epstein files and any related unreleased materials.
Justice Department Response
A Justice Department spokesperson said existing protective orders from the Southern District of New York and the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November 2025, do not require blanket disclosure of victim-identifying information. The department said New Mexico has not provided a sufficient legal basis to justify releasing such information and emphasized that protecting victim privacy remains a top priority.
The DOJ statement also noted that neither Touhy requests nor a general desire to cooperate overrides statutory protections for victims or court-issued restrictions intended to shield identifying information.
Background
Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while detained on federal sex trafficking charges. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Testimony in Maxwell's trial included allegations that Epstein and Maxwell abused women at the New Mexico ranch.
The new lawsuit sets up a legal showdown over federal control of sensitive records and competing interests: New Mexico's assertion that access is necessary to investigate crimes and advance survivor accountability, and the Justice Department's position that privacy protections and court orders limit what can be disclosed.
The case is pending in federal court, and any ruling could affect how other states access federal materials in investigations involving victims whose privacy is protected by court orders or statute.
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