Since President Donald Trump's takeover of the Washington, D.C. police force and deployment of the National Guard to assist them in eradicating the city's out-of-control crime, it has put the spotlight on other large cities that have been under Democrat control for decades. In addition to the nation's capital, residents in places like New York and Chicago are afraid to walk the streets after dark. Soft-on-crime blue enclaves are a nationwide problem, and they come in many forms. And as is the usual with failed Democrat policies, the people who need help the most are the hardest hit.
READ MORE: Trump’s Got a Great Suggestion for Reporters Claiming D.C. Crime Is Not a Problem
The latest case is in New Mexico, where Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, in a county that covers a large portion of the state, where violence and drug trafficking are rampant. Rio Arriba County runs from the city of Española to the Colorado state line. It is also home to two Native American Pueblo communities. Residents there have a history of struggling with overdose deaths, with some of the highest death rates in the nation. In her announcement, Lujan stated that threats to the public have "overwhelmed local resources." She went on to state,
"When our local leaders called for help to protect their communities, we responded immediately with decisive action. 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."
Lujan-Grisham's announcement will make $750,000 available to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, which will coordinate the response efforts for the communities that are most affected by the surge in crime. The crime surge has created predictable outcomes, such as an increase in the homeless population, family instability, along with an increase in fatal drug overdoses. It has put local government and police departments in a position where they are straining to keep up.
Gov. Lujan-Grisham added that residential police calls to Espanola and the surrounding areas have doubled in the past two years, and calls from businesses have quadrupled in the same time period. Currently, Rio Arriba County has the highest overdose death rate in the state. Lujan-Grisham has not deployed the National Guard, but the additional funding will assist with overtime costs, equipment, and any coordinated police responses.
In recent years, drug and alcohol addiction has hit some Native American communities the hardest. In New Mexico, the addiction rate on tribal lands is three times higher than in the general population. Many Native American communities are already at a disadvantage, suffering from extreme poverty and high unemployment rates. Increasing rates of mental illness in those communities and a lack of treatment services have also not helped. James Naranjo is the tribal governor of Santa Clara Pueblo near Espanola. In a July letter to Lujan-Grisham, he urged her to address the problem and its effect on the Pueblo community, saying,
"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. 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."
Gov. Lujan-Grisham might have been one of the first Democrats who had to admit there is a problem. She deployed the National Guard to Albuquerque in April after a spike in juvenile and fentanyl crime. The fact that Albuquerque is a sanctuary city might point to the reason for that spike.
New Mexico Republicans seemed pleasantly surprised by Lujan-Grisham's move. Espanola 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 was also encouraged, but also called out state Democrat leaders, saying,
"This community is long overdue in receiving help to combat the out-of-control crime caused by the failed policies of our state leadership. 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."
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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