Originally published September 13, 2023 10:00 pm PDT
In a recent development, U.S. District Judge David Urias revoked a section of the public health order issued by New Mexico’s Democratic Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham.
This order had initially suspended the public’s right to carry firearms in New Mexico’s primary metropolitan area, Albuquerque.
The move by the Governor was reportedly in response to a spate of shootings.
Governor Lujan Grisham’s decision to temporarily suspend public gun carry rights was based on a specific threshold for violent crime, predominantly witnessed in Albuquerque and its neighboring areas, according to The Associated Press.
State Police would penalize those not adhering to the order with potential fines reaching up to $5,000.
However, the local sheriff, along with Albuquerque’s police chief, made their stance clear by not endorsing the enforcement of this order, citing the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
This suspension saw staunch opposition from gun rights activists, resulting in a series of legal challenges lodged in the U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
These challenges mainly argued that the order breached the Second Amendment.
The majority of Republicans in the legislative assembly even floated the idea of impeaching the Governor.
Notably, New Mexico is recognized as an open carry state.
A recent Associated Press analysis found that over 14,500 Bernalillo County residents have an active concealed carry license, and including the entire state, the number goes beyond 45,000 for the fiscal year 2023.
Since the order’s enforcement, the state police have yet to cite any individual.
