Democratic Governor Declares Emergency in Crime-Ridden County

The order authorizes up to $750,000 in emergency funding and allows for the deployment of the New Mexico National Guard.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lugan Grisham speaks with a Lincoln County officials during a press briefing in Ruidoso, N.M., on July 10, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County, the city of Española, and the nearby pueblos of Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh, citing a sharp rise in violent crime, drug trafficking, and other public safety threats.

With a population of more than 10,000, Española is the largest city in Rio Arriba County—which itself has a population of about 40,000 people, according to the Census Bureau—and is located about 25 miles north of Santa Fe.