Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency Wednesday in a rural county of her state due to a surge in violent crime and drug trafficking.

Grisham’s office announced in a press release that the state of emergency will include Rio Arriba County, the city of Española and Pueblo Indian communities in the area in response to a “significant surge in violent crime, drug trafficking and public safety threats” which the governor’s office said have “overwhelmed local resources.”

“When our local leaders called for help to protect their communities, we responded immediately with decisive action,” Grisham said in a Wednesday statement. “We are making every resource available to support our local partners on the ground and restore public safety and stability to

See Full Page