New Mexico Governor Declares State Of Emergency In Española Over Rising Crimes

Last Updated:August 14, 2025, 06:54 IST

The emergency declaration unlocks up to $750,000 in emergency funds from the Department of Homeland Security.

Governor Grisham said the action comes in response to urgent appeals for help (Image: AP)

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency for Rio Arriba County, the City of Española, and the surrounding Pueblo communities, citing a dramatic rise in violent crime, drug trafficking, and threats to public safety, reported AP.

Announced on Wednesday, the emergency declaration unlocks up to $750,000 in emergency funds from the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The order also authorises potential support from the Guard, although there is no immediate deployment planned.

In a statement, Governor Grisham said the action comes in response to urgent appeals for help from local authorities. “When our local leaders called for help to protect their communities, we responded immediately with decisive action," said the Governor. “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."

The executive order attributes the surge in crime to homelessness, family instability, and a rise in fatal drug overdoses. These challenges, it says, have significantly strained local law enforcement and public resources.

In Española, police calls have reportedly doubled in the last two years, with callouts to local businesses quadrupling. Police Chief Mizel Garcia told Source NM that the city’s police force lacks the personnel to cope with the influx of youth-related crimes and firearm incidents.

The affected region includes the Pueblos of Ohkay Owingeh to the north and Santa Clara to the south, both of which, according to the executive order, are also experiencing “a significant increase in crime".

This is not the first time Governor Grisham has taken such a measure. In April, she issued a similar order for Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city. That move drew criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico, particularly regarding the militarisation of public safety.

Despite the backlash, the Guard remains stationed in Albuquerque, with the deployment recently reauthorised.

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