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Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
New Mexico governor declares state of emergency in rural county afflicted by crime, drug use
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The governor of New Mexico declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to violent crime and drug trafficking across a swath of northern New Mexico, including two Native American pueblo communities. The emergency declaration by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham makes $750,000 available in response to calls by local governments and tribal officials in Rio Arriba County for reinforcements against violent crime as well as other crime and hardships associated with illicit drugs. The vast area stretches from the city of Española, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Santa Fe, to the Colorado state line and has long been afflicted by opioid use and high drug-overdose death rates, with homeless encampments emerging in recent years in more populated areas. 'The surge in criminal activity has contributed to increased homelessness, family instability and fatal drug overdoses, placing extraordinary strain on local governments and police departments that have requested immediate state assistance,' Lujan Grisham said in a statement. In April, Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency in New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque, saying that a significant increase in crime in Albuquerque warrants the help of the New Mexico National Guard. There were no immediate calls for troop deployments in Rio Arriba County, though the new emergency declaration allows for authorities to call up the National Guard. The tribal governor of Santa Clara Pueblo on the edge of Española urged the state to address a growing public safety crisis stemming from the use and abuse of fentanyl and alcohol in the community at large. 'The pueblo has expended thousands of dollars trying to address this crisis … and to protect pueblo children who are directly and negatively affected by a parent's or guardian's addiction,' said Santa Clara Gov. James Naranjo in a July letter to Lujan Grisham. 'But we are not an isolated community and the causes and effects of fentanyl/alcohol abuse, increased crime, and increased homelessness extend to the wider community.' In 2020, President Donald Trump sent federal agents, including Homeland Security officers, to Albuquerque as part of an effort to contain violent crime.
5 days ago
- Politics
New Mexico governor declares state of emergency
SANTA FE, N.M. -- The governor of New Mexico declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to violent crime and drug trafficking across a swath of northern New Mexico, including two Native American pueblo communities. The emergency declaration by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham makes $750,000 available in response to calls by local governments and tribal officials in Rio Arriba County for reinforcements against violent crime as well as other crime and hardships associated with illicit drugs. The vast area stretches from the city of Española, 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Santa Fe, to the Colorado state line and has long been afflicted by opioid use and high drug-overdose death rates, with homeless encampments emerging in recent years in more populated areas. 'The surge in criminal activity has contributed to increased homelessness, family instability and fatal drug overdoses, placing extraordinary strain on local governments and police departments that have requested immediate state assistance," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. In April, Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency in New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque, saying that a significant increase in crime in Albuquerque warrants the help of the New Mexico National Guard. There were no immediate calls for troop deployments in Rio Arriba County, though the new emergency declaration allows for authorities to call up the National Guard. The tribal governor of Santa Clara Pueblo on the edge of Española urged the state to address a growing public safety crisis stemming from the use and abuse of fentanyl and alcohol in the community at large. 'The pueblo has expended thousands of dollars trying to address this crisis ... and to protect pueblo children who are directly and negatively affected by a parent's or guardian's addiction,' said Santa Clara Gov. James Naranjo in a July letter to Lujan Grisham. 'But we are not an isolated community and the causes and effects of fentanyl/alcohol abuse, increased crime, and increased homelessness extend to the wider community.'
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
New Mexico Gov. declares emergency in response to Trout Fire
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued an emergency declaration on Tuesday in response to the Trout Fire near Silver City, which has burnt over 24,000 acres and led to evacuations across the area. Alongside the emergency declaration, Gov. Lujan Grisham has also secured Fire Management Assistance Grants to further assist with firefighting efforts in Grant County. Soldiers and Airmen of the New Mexico National Guard have been activated as well, with personnel from Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, Kirtland Air Force Base and Las Cruces helping with evacuations ordered last Friday. The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management is being allocated $750,000 by the New Mexico Department of Finance Administration to request assets such as additional firefighting crews, fire engines, air support, sheltering assistance, and out-of-state other personnel. This is through Executive Order 2025-235. 'New Mexicans are all too familiar with the devastation that comes from wildfires that bring danger and destruction to everything in their paths,' said Gov. Lujan Grisham. 'I appreciate our federal partners for taking this threat seriously and for doing their part in supporting the responders who are working their hardest to protect the community.' New Mexico Lt. Governor Howie Morales said 35 New Mexico National Guardsmen and women will be on scene by the end of the day. He said there are no indications that structures are being threatened at this point, but power is being shut off to protect firefighters. 'When I drove through there yesterday, the smoke was pretty heavy. The air quality was causing a lot of respiratory issues. So there is generally just the fear that comes with fire and the uncertainty of it,' said Lt. Gov. Morales. More information on Fire Management Assistance Grants can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
National Guard likely to deploy by the end of the week in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – New Mexico has made national headlines for deploying the New Mexico National Guard to help fight crime in Albuquerque. Now, they're potentially hours away from starting the experiment. Story continues below Don't Miss: Body of airman recovered at Elephant Butte Lake, Kirtland Air Force Base says Weather: When does monsoon season start in NM? What you can expect this summer? Crime: Man reflects on YouTube after family killed by younger brother in NE ABQ It's been more than a month since Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the guard's deployment, now, dozens of guardsmen will work alongside officers, likely by the end of the week. '77 guardsmen are prepared and ready to go out. We're in the final pieces of getting our agreement signed with the city and between the State of New Mexico. Any day, any minute now. I think certainly by the end of the week we should be in a good place,' said Adjutant General of the New Mexico National Guard Maj. Gen. Miguel Aguilar. Officially called Operation Zia Shield, the unprecedented deployment has been weeks in the making. The guard is expected to help across several area commands, including east Central Ave. 'One of the challenges of doing this very quickly is all of the gear and equipment coming in on time. We're still waiting for some of that to come in. Not enough that would cause us to slow down,' said Maj. Gen. Aguilar. Up to this point, airmen and soldiers have done at least 30 days of tactical and de-escalation training to prepare. On the ground, they'll help with crime scene security, the Real Time Crime Center's drone operations, and evidence tagging at the Prisoner Transport Center. The goal is to free up officers to do their jobs, but the guard will not have law enforcement authority. 'They will not be doing arrests. They will not be taking traffic accidents, police service aids do that, but we will not task them with that,' Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina told KRQE earlier in May. While initial training is done, the guard said soldiers and airmen are prepared to get more on-the-job training once they're out in the field for a different kind of mission aimed at keeping Albuquerque safe. 'We love our community. That's what we do. It's the reason we wear the uniform,' Maj. Gen. Aguilar. Out of the 77 guardsmen taking part in this mission, nearly half of them call Albuquerque home. They will not be armed and will be wearing polo shirts on the streets. The mission is expected to last for at least six months. Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina has said he thinks by October, the department should know if the mission has been effective. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico governor authorizes $2.25M for National Guard operation in Albuquerque
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – It's been over one month since New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the New Mexico National Guard to support the Albuquerque Police Department fight crime. Since the initial announcement, the governor has signed off on $2,250,000 in emergency funding to support Operation Zia Shield. The funding has been authorized in three executive orders issued by Gov. Lujan Grisham, each order designating $750,000 for the National Guard. APD reports 933 total arrests in 2025 so far Some National Guard personnel have already reported for duty, and others are expected to report for duty this Memorial Weekend, according to New Mexico National Guard Public Affairs Director Hank Minitrez. They will assist in areas including: Prisoner Transport Unit: Administrative intake of prisoners, to include property booking and paperwork, at the downtown Prisoner Transport Center. Field Ops: Traffic control, running paperwork, outer perimeter security for major crime scenes & critical incidents. (This is the only time the guardsmen will actually perform duties outside an office environment, according to Minitrez.) APD Real Time Crime Center: Drone launch and recovery, drone footage, license plate reader tracking, traffic camera tracking, shot spotter tracking. Fusing all-source crime data for dissemination to field units. (These guardsmen were the first to report for duty, about one week ago.) The deployment aims to improve public safety and support APD by allowing the department to reallocate resources to enforcement while still maintaining essential services. Overall, the goal is to reduce crime from downtown east through the International District. KRQE News 13 asked the governor's office if she plans to issue more executive orders authorizing emergency funding for this National Guard operation. Gov. Lujan Grisham's Communications Director, Michael Coleman, responded via email, 'Yes, as necessary but it's unclear how many more at this time.' To view the executive orders issued for Operation Zia Shield as of May 19, click the links below. Executive Order 2025-080 Executive Order 2025-116 Executive Order 2025-209 Per state law, the governor can allocate emergency funding in increments of up to $750,000. There is no limit on how many executive orders can be issued for one emergency. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
