New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) has decided to ban open and concealed carry of firearms in Albuquerque under the auspices of a public health emergency.
Grisham’s decision was made following the shooting of an 11-year-old boy outside a baseball stadium. The suspension applies to New Mexican regions that exceed a certain violent crime threshold.
In response, New Mexico state representatives Stefani Lord and John Block, both Republicans, have called for her impeachment, arguing that her decision violates the inalienable rights of New Mexicans guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“This emergency order violates the Governor’s oath to protect and defend the rights of New Mexicans and is illegal in nature,” Lord stated in a press release. “The legislature has a duty to intervene when the government is overstepping boundaries, and Governor Grisham’s order and comments disqualify her from continuing her tenure as governor.”
Representative Block added, “We can and will force a vote on this. There is no escaping We The People and our rights that have been infringed upon.”
Governor Grisham anticipates legal challenges to her order but stands by her decision as a necessary response to the escalating gun violence in the state.
