New Mexico officials say a government hiring freeze announced by President Donald Trump could put more than 300 advertised federal jobs in the state at risk. Many of the jobs are high-paying professional positions.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Trump's decision could hit hard in New Mexico, the state where the unemployment rate is the nation's second worst.
A University of New Mexico economist says the damage to the state's economy would probably be minimal, but the state's Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall called the president's hiring freeze a "reckless, blunt decree."
Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, however, said in an email that the hiring freeze will help the Trump administration assess the federal work force's strengths and weaknesses.
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Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican.
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