In a bold move aimed at curbing rising juvenile crime and the fentanyl epidemic, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered 60–70 National Guard troops to assist law enforcement in Albuquerque starting mid-May. While some residents are applauding the support, others warn that short-term deployments won’t fix long-term decay.

Guard Deployment: Support, Not Street Patrols

Governor Grisham’s executive order assigns National Guard troops to non-combat roles like traffic control, scene security, and prisoner transport. The goal is to free up police officers to directly confront criminal activity, especially among juveniles and drug networks fueling the fentanyl crisis.

Between 2019 and 2024, Albuquerque police cited or arrested over 2,600 minors, including a recent case where a 13-year-old was charged with first-degree murder after a deadly crash. The same teen was linked to multiple burglaries—a sign of the city’s growing struggle with violent youth crime.

GOP Pushes for Accountability, Not Coddling

Republican leaders have slammed the National Guard deployment as a band-aid on a bullet wound. Leticia Muñoz, Executive Director of the New Mexico GOP, criticized the move as “not enough,” calling for bail reform, tougher sentences, and real accountability for repeat offenders.

“Albuquerque is calling in the National Guard due to violent crime.”

No one is talking about the fact that New Mexico’s Democrat governor has been forced to call in the National Guard to address violent crime. pic.twitter.com/MMpAJ7RdJ2

— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) April 10, 2025

Muñoz also blasted a Democrat-backed pilot program offering housing to detained juveniles, saying it rewards bad behavior. “We cannot coddle criminals and expect public safety to improve,” she argued, pointing to what she called a broader failure of leadership from Albuquerque’s mayor.

Fentanyl Crisis Fuels Urgency

At the core of Albuquerque’s law enforcement woes is the fentanyl epidemic, which claimed 65% of New Mexico’s overdose deaths last year. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office recently seized 2,700 fentanyl pills and arrested nearly 400 suspects in Operation Route 66.

The Guard’s support aims to amplify those results without militarizing the city. Troops will be unarmed and dressed in civilian clothes to avoid further tension, especially in communities already wary of law enforcement. Still, the ACLU of New Mexico raised red flags about possible civil rights violations, warning that “military presence, no matter how subtle, can intimidate and disrupt communities.”

BREAKING: Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, whose banned carrying guns by law-abiding citizens, refuses to cooperate with ICE to deport illegal aliens and passed anti-police reform—
NOW deploying the National Guard to Albuquerque to fight a violent crime emergency. pic.twitter.com/btWS7aNpLY

— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) April 9, 2025

What Long-Term Solutions Might Work Better?

While short-term deployments can offer relief, experts and community leaders stress that lasting change requires deeper reform, such as:

• Juvenile justice overhaul, including mandatory intervention programs and vocational training.
• Fentanyl interdiction task forces with cross-agency intelligence sharing.
• Stronger parental accountability laws and expanded family services.
• Faith-based rehabilitation initiatives and school safety partnerships.

Albuquerque’s Mayor Tim Keller remains optimistic. “Crime is finally trending down for the first time in decades,” he said, “and the Guard’s arrival is one more step to keeping that momentum alive.”

But for the people of Albuquerque—especially in the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods—the question remains: Is this enough to rebuild a broken system, or just another temporary fix?

Sources:

• National Guard deployed to blue city overrun with juvenile crime, fentanyl is ‘not enough,’ state GOP says

• National Guard to help Albuquerque fight crime, but some wonder if it’s necessary