The El Paso Matters Podcast

On this episode of the El Paso Matters Podcast, reporter Diego Mendoza-Moyers talks with Assistant Editor Pablo Villa about his recent reporting on data centers, what it was like to tour one data center campus and to share some updates on the three projects underway in El Paso. You can read Diego's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte's office has come under fire from county leaders as the office faces a $6 million budget deficit. El Paso Matters senior reporter Elida Perez joins the podcast to discuss the sheriff's office's financial situation, why Ugarte is facing a deficit, and the criticism elected officials have lobbed at Ugarte. You can read Elida's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

So far this year, more than 3,500 people have been arrested in El Paso by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, part of a national surge of hundreds of thousands of arrests this year. Who are the people facing deportation? And how is the legal system working amid the surge in immigration arrests? El Paso Matters Editor Cindy Ramirez joins the podcast to discuss her recent reporting on how the increase in ICE arrests is playing out on the ground in El Paso. You can read Cindy's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

The two major AI hyperscale data center projects in El Paso are moving forward on their own tracks. The New Mexico Supreme Court recently allowed the air permit proceeding for Project Jupiter to advance - paving the way for the data center to develop its on-site power plant. Meta, meanwhile, announced a $1 billion fund for communities hosting the company's data centers, including El Paso. But what does that actually mean for the Borderland? And what is the status of Meta's data center? El Paso Matters reporter Diego Mendoza-Moyers and assistant editor Pablo Villa discuss the situation with data centers in El Paso. You can read Diego's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

El Paso has seen record heat so far in 2026 as average daily temperatures this year have been more than 3 degrees above the historical norm as of mid-September. Hotter temperatures mean El Pasoans are running their air conditioners more often, which increases electric bills -- a vicious cycle in which climate change drives higher household costs. El Paso Matters CEO Bob Moore joins the podcast to discuss his recent reporting on climate trends in El Paso and what that means for household utility bills. You can read Bob's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

The University of Texas at El Paso this year exited from Conference USA and entered the Mountain West, a higher-profile athletic conference with teams including University of New Mexico and Nevada-Las Vegas. UTEP has had to raise millions from donors to leave its former conference as well as to build up funds to pay players in the NIL era. ESPN 600 SportsTalk hosts Steve Kaplowitz and Adrian Broaddus join the El Paso Matters Podcast to talk all things Mountain West, UTEP fundraising and how much the school has available to pay its athletes. You can listen to Steve and Adrian at krod.com.

Ysleta High School is turning 10o-years-old as a four-year high school. El Paso Matters assistant editor Pablo Villa discusses his reporting on how Ysleta Independent School District funded a renovation of Ysleta High's football stadium amid broader financial challenges, and discusses the school's origins and history. You can read Pablo's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

El Paso City Council nearly failed to pass an annual budget last week after hours of debate and discussion on the city's spending and proposed property tax increase on households. But council representatives eventually broke the deadlock to advance a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. El Paso Matters senior reporter Elida Perez joins the podcast to discuss the city council meeting this week, how much taxes will increase and divisions among city council. You can read Elida's reporting at elpasomatters.org.

On August 4, failures at a unit within Marathon Petroleum's El Paso refinery complex led to the facility releasing over 15 tons of various pollutants into nearby neighborhoods in South-Central El Paso over a three-day period. El Paso County Commissioner David Stout joins the podcast to talk about the pollution event, Marathon's response and the county's push to challenge the renewal of the refinery's regulatory air permit in the months ahead.

The federal government is dropping plans to build an 8,500-person detention center for migrants in Socorro, Texas just outside El Paso months after purchasing three warehouses for $120 million. El Paso Matters Editor Cindy Ramirez joins the podcast to discuss her reporting on why the governments canceled its plans and what could happen next to the warehouses the federal government now plans to sell. You can read Cindy's reporting at elpasomatters.org.