New Mexico Says Trump's DOJ Is 'Actively Hurting' Epstein Zorro Ranch Investigation by Withholding Files

New Mexico's attorney general is suing the Trump Justice Department for full access to Jeffrey Epstein files, accusing federal officials of delaying justice for survivors tied to the disgraced financier's former Zorro Ranch.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a federal lawsuit seeking complete and unredacted records connected to Epstein and his New Mexico property, arguing that the documents are crucial to the state's criminal investigation. The suit was reportedly filed in Washington, DC, and accuses the Justice Department of stonewalling access to material that could identify witnesses, victims and alleged participants in crimes at the ranch.

'New Mexico has a duty to protect survivors and investigate crimes committed in our state so that perpetrators can be held accountable,' Torrez said in a statement.

He added: 'Their delay is actively hurting our criminal investigation and delaying justice Epstein survivors deserve.'

Zorro Ranch at Centre of State Probe

Zorro Ranch, a sprawling property in Santa Fe County, was once owned by Epstein and has long been linked to allegations of sexual abuse. Torrez's office reopened its investigation in February after federal Epstein-related records were released, saying the ranch appeared thousands of times in the files.

The property included a hilltop mansion, airstrip and helipad. It was once valued at $27.5 million (£20.45 million) after being put up for sale in 2021.

Survivors have previously described abuse connected to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell at the property. Virginia Giuffre was also photographed at Zorro Ranch before her death in 2025.

New Mexico investigated Epstein's activities in the state in 2019, but that probe closed within a year without charges. Epstein died in jail that same year while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in New York. His death was ruled a suicide.

DOJ Accused of Stonewalling

The lawsuit says New Mexico has repeatedly sought records from the Justice Department but has not received the unredacted access it says investigators need.

The lawsuit names the Justice Department and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing them of conduct that 'harms victims and undermines the public interest.' The Justice Department has said protecting victim privacy remains a priority and that it remains available to assist New Mexico's investigation within the law and court orders.

Torrez's office has argued that heavily redacted public records are not enough for an active criminal investigation. In a previous demand, the attorney general said unredacted files were needed to determine what happened at Zorro Ranch and who may have been involved.

Lawmakers Launch Separate Inquiry

The legal fight comes as New Mexico lawmakers pursue their own investigation into Epstein's activities at the ranch.

A state subcommittee with subpoena power has been created to collect testimony, records and other evidence tied to the property. Democratic state Rep. Andrea Romero previously said New Mexico residents 'deserve to know the truth' about what happened at Zorro Ranch and who knew about it.

The committee is expected to operate through the rest of 2026 with a $2 million (£1.49 million) budget, funded by a settlement linked to financial firms accused of failing to identify abuses connected to the property.

The ranch's current owner is Don Huffines, a Texas businessman and Republican politician, through an entity called San Rafael Ranch LLC. But the focus now is less on the land itself than on the records New Mexico says Washington is still withholding.