New Mexico Governor Declares State of Emergency Over Violent Crime, Drug Crisis
TL/DR –
New Mexico’s governor has declared a state of emergency due to escalating violent crime and drug trafficking in the northern part of the state, including two Native American communities. The declaration releases $750,000 to aid local and tribal governments in combating these issues. The area, which has been heavily impacted by opioid use and high drug-overdose deaths, is also experiencing increased homelessness and family instability as a result of the surge in crime.
New Mexico Governor Declares State of Emergency Amid Crime Spike
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico declared a state of emergency Wednesday due to an upsurge in violent crime and drug trafficking in northern New Mexico, including two Native American pueblos.
The emergency declaration provides $750,000 for local governments and tribal officials in Rio Arriba County to combat violent crime and the associated social issues of drug trafficking. The county, which stretches from the city of Española to the Colorado state line, has been plagued by opioid usage and high drug-overdose death rates for years, with homelessness rising in populated areas.
The Governor stated that the crime surge led to increased homelessness, family instability, and drug overdoses, straining local governments and necessitating state aid. In response to a crime increase in Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, Lujan Grisham had declared a state of emergency earlier in April.
In 2023, she suspended the right to carry firearms in public parks and playgrounds in Albuquerque following a series of state-wide shootings that resulted in children’s deaths.
The new emergency declaration offers the potential for National Guard deployment in Rio Arriba County, and the emergency funds will support local law enforcement’s expenditure on overtime, equipment, and coordinated responses.
The tribal governor of Santa Clara Pueblo, James Naranjo, has called on the state to address a growing public safety crisis, citing the impact of fentanyl and alcohol abuse on the community. Naranjo expressed concern about the wider societal effects of substance abuse, heightened crime and increased homelessness in a July letter to Lujan Grisham.
Notably, Rio Arriba County Sheriff Billy Merrifield was among the recent deaths linked to fentanyl and alcohol use in the region.
In 2020, President Donald Trump sent federal agents to Albuquerque as part of an effort to manage violent crime. Meanwhile, Albuquerque police announced murder charges against three teenagers connected to a July 2 shooting.
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