This order, characterized as an emergency public health measure, applies to most public spaces, with state police responsible for enforcement and potential fines of up to $5,000.
Experts point out that in 2023 on a year-over-year basis, the crimes involving gun violence appear to be dropping for homicides in Albuquerque from 2022. And the rise in aggravated assault does not always include a firearm.
2nd Amendment Rights Suspended
While the governor’s order found support among some officials, including Mayor Tim Keller and Police Chief Harold Medina, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman refused to enforce it, citing concerns about its constitutionality. Sheriff John Allen expressed unease about the potential risks associated with prohibiting law-abiding citizens from their constitutional right to self-defense.
Legal scholars, such as Jessica Levinson from Loyola Law School, see Governor Lujan Grisham’s decision as a deliberate attempt to provoke a legal debate concerning the Second Amendment. With a conservative Supreme Court poised to expand Second Amendment rights, the outcome of this legal battle remains uncertain.
