Dem Gov. Declares Crime Emergency 2 Days After Complaining About Trump’s DC Move [WATCH]

Two days after President Donald Trump placed Washington, D.C.’s police force under federal control to combat rising violent crime, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday issued a state of emergency targeting crime and drug trafficking in Rio Arriba County.

Yesterday I saw that our Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was complaining about President Trump taking steps to control crime in DC. Today MLG send troops into Espanola. I started to accuse her of hypocrisy BUT I realized she was learning from him and trying to replicate his…

— Jim Townsend (@Sen34townsend) August 13, 2025

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The emergency declaration covers a large portion of northern New Mexico, including two Native American Pueblo communities, from the city of Española to the Colorado border.

BREAKING POINT: Dem Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a crisis in Rio Arriba County following a “significant surge” in drugs and violence. pic.twitter.com/A7oPojIIwm

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 14, 2025

The county has long reported some of the nation’s highest opioid overdose death rates.

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Governor Grisham said local officials had requested immediate assistance as public safety threats intensified.

“When our local leaders called for help to protect their communities, we responded immediately with decisive action,” Grisham said in a statement.

“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 declaration allocates $750,000 to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to oversee response efforts and direct resources to affected communities.

According to the governor, the region is facing surges in crime, homelessness, family instability, and fatal drug overdoses, all of which have placed an unprecedented strain on local governments and police departments.

Grisham noted that police calls in Española and the surrounding areas have more than doubled over the past two years, while dispatches to businesses have quadrupled in the same period.

Fentanyl and other illicit drugs continue to drive the county’s highest-in-the-state overdose death rate.

Although there were no immediate announcements regarding National Guard deployment, the emergency order allows for that option.

Funds from the order will be used to increase law enforcement overtime, purchase equipment, and coordinate police responses, a spokesperson for the governor said.

The tribal governor of Santa Clara Pueblo, located near Española, has also urged state intervention.

In a letter sent to Governor Grisham in July, Santa Clara Gov. James Naranjo warned of the escalating dangers linked to fentanyl and alcohol use.

“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,” Naranjo wrote.

“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.”

This is not the first time Governor Grisham has taken such action.

In April, she sent the National Guard to Albuquerque in response to a rise in juvenile crime and fentanyl use.

In that instance, Guard members were assigned duties such as scene security, traffic control, and prisoner transport to allow Albuquerque police to focus on enforcement.

Wednesday’s declaration received bipartisan attention, with some Republican officials welcoming the decision while calling for more comprehensive solutions.

Española City Councilor Sam LeDoux said, “I am pleased that the governor is addressing the out-of-control crime in our community. It has long been overrun and not addressed. Fentanyl has overwhelmed our law enforcement, and this seems to be a step in the right direction to protecting our citizens.”

New Mexico Republican Party Chairwoman Amy Barela echoed those concerns while urging tangible results.

“This community is long overdue in receiving help to combat the out-of-control crime caused by the failed policies of our state leadership,” Barela said.

“While I hope the deployment of the National Guard will provide real assistance, the people of Española deserve more than just street counselors — they deserve action that addresses the root of the problem. Thanks to President Trump’s America First policies and his decisive action to secure the border, we have already begun to see crime rates decrease nationally. Now, it’s time to put New Mexicans first by ensuring those who commit crimes are caught and held accountable.”