New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County — a Democrat-run area long plagued by violent crime, drug trafficking, and one of the nation’s highest opioid overdose death rates.
The move comes just two days after President Donald Trump took control of Washington, D.C.’s police force to restore law and order in the nation’s capital.
Sweeping Declaration Targets Crime-Ridden Region
The order covers the city of Española, two Native American Pueblo communities, and surrounding areas. It allocates $750,000 in emergency funding to the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to support overtime pay, equipment, and coordinated law enforcement efforts.
Grisham said a surge in criminal activity has fueled homelessness, family instability, and fatal overdoses — overwhelming local governments and police departments. She noted police calls in Española and nearby areas have more than doubled in the past two years, with business-related dispatches quadrupling.
National Guard Deployment Possible
While the order stops short of immediately calling up the National Guard, it authorizes deployment if necessary. The move follows similar action in April, when Grisham sent Guard troops to Albuquerque to assist with a spike in juvenile crime and fentanyl-related incidents.
Santa Clara Pueblo Governor James Naranjo urged the state to intervene, warning that fentanyl and alcohol abuse are devastating families and stretching tribal resources. “We are not an isolated community,” Naranjo said, calling for state-level coordination.
GOP Response: Cautious Support, Calls for Real Action
New Mexico Republicans cautiously welcomed the declaration. Española City Councilor Sam LeDoux said it was “a step in the right direction to protecting our citizens.”
State GOP Chairwoman Amy Barela said the community is “long overdue” for help but stressed that residents need more than symbolic action.
She credited President Trump’s America First policies with lowering national crime rates and called for accountability for offenders in New Mexico.
