Print
Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 20 May 2019 20 May 2019

SANTA FE—Today, House Republicans sent a letter to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham requesting that she re-deploy New Mexico National Guard troops back to the state’s border with Mexico. The representatives also asked her to appoint a crisis response team led by New Mexico’s Secretary of Homeland Security to coordinate immigration response efforts throughout the state.  

House Republicans stated that many New Mexico cities and counties were struggling to meet the needs of the immigrants streaming into their communities. They noted that two local governments, Otero County and the City of Deming, had already declared a state of emergency because they could no longer accommodate the growing numbers of immigrants requiring assistance.  

“Because New Mexico’s taxpayers and communities are providing resources and making sacrifices to support thousands of immigrants seeking refuge in our state, we urge you to send the National Guard back to the border to provide badly needed assistance and support to both federal and local entities. We also request the creation of a crisis response team led by the New Mexico Secretary of Homeland Security to assess the state’s available resources and capacity, identify the most severe crisis situations, and direct help to the areas most in need. This team could also manage communication to ensure that appropriate entities are kept informed,” lawmakers wrote. 

Twelve Republican representatives signed the letter, including House Republican Leader James Townsend (R-Artesia), House Republican Whip Rod Montoya (R-Farmington), Rep. James Strickler (R-Farmington), Rep. Randy Crowder (R-Clovis), Rep. David Gallegos (R-Eunice), Rep. Greg Nibert (R-Roswell), Rep. Jason Harper (R-Rio Rancho), Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R-Carlsbad), Rep. Paul Bandy (R-Aztec), Rep. Phelps Anderson (R-Roswell), Rep Larry Scott (R-Hobbs), and Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell (R-Roswell).