Democrat Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Crime

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County, including the city of Española and nearby Pueblo communities, in response to an alarming surge in violent crime, drug trafficking, and public safety threats. The rural region, stretching from Española to the Colorado border, has long struggled with soaring opioid overdose rates and homelessness linked to substance abuse.

Governor Lujan Grisham’s emergency declaration makes $750,000 available to the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. These funds are earmarked to support local law enforcement with overtime pay, equipment, and coordinated crime-fighting efforts—aiming to relieve the strain on overwhelmed resources.

Local officials have expressed deep concern about the growing crisis. Police calls in the area have more than doubled over the past two years, while dispatches to businesses have increased fourfold. Tribal leaders from Santa Clara Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh emphasized how the combined impacts of drug addiction, alcohol abuse, increased crime, and homelessness have taken a heavy toll on their communities—especially affecting children and vulnerable families.

This isn’t the first emergency response from the governor this year. In April, she issued a similar state of emergency for Albuquerque in reaction to rising youth crime and fentanyl use, deploying about 70 National Guard troops to assist local authorities.