❓WHAT HAPPENED: New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) declared a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County, citing rampant violence and drug trafficking.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, local law enforcement, Native American pueblo communities, and Republican leaders.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The emergency declaration was announced on Wednesday in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, which spans from Española to the Colorado state line.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We are making every resource available to support our local partners on the ground and restore public safety and stability to these areas that have been hardest hit by this crisis.” – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
🎯IMPACT: The declaration allocates $750,000 for coordinated response efforts, allows for potential National Guard deployment, and aims to address crime, homelessness, and drug-related issues.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) has issued a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County due to rising violent crime and drug trafficking. Grisham infamously attempted to suspend the right to bear arms across parts of the state in 2023, claiming, “No constitutional right… including my oath, is intended to be absolute.”
The problem county, home to Native American pueblo communities, is grappling with ongoing issues related to opioid overdoses and public safety. Grisham noted that local leaders sought state support, with current resources being insufficient to address public safety threats. “When our local leaders called for help to protect their communities, we responded immediately with decisive action,” she said. The emergency declaration allocates $750,000 to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to coordinate responses and distribute resources.
In Española and nearby areas, police calls have more than doubled in two years, and business-related dispatches have quadrupled. Rio Arriba County has the highest overdose death rate in New Mexico, with fentanyl abuse being a major issue.
New Mexico Republican leaders, including Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Barela, supported the emergency declaration. However, Barela is pressing for stronger measures, saying, “The people of Española deserve more than just street counselors—they deserve action that addresses the root of the problem.”
Notably, the emergency declaration comes as President Donald J. Trump is mulling the establishment of a federal Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force, comprised of hundreds of National Guardsmen, to intervene in areas where law and order are breaking down. The America First leader has already used the National Guard and U.S. Marines to contain pro-illegal immigrant riots in Los Angeles, California, and federalized law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
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